It  would  aid  the  Commission  to  have  those  re¬ 
ceiving  this  Report  indicate  their  personal  interest 
in  Christian  Education  in  China,  and  give  the 
names  and  addresses  of  others  who  would  be  in¬ 
terested  in  special  literature  on  the  subject. 

“That  which  confronts  us  in  China  today  is 
the  magnificent  task  and  opportunity  of  extending 
to  the  greatest  homogeneous  nation  in  the  world  a 
hand  of  Christian  help,  by  building  up  an  educa¬ 
tional  system  inspired  by  the  Christian  spirit  and 
permeated  with  Christian  ideals,  and  so  helping 
that  great  people  in  this  supreme  hour  of  her 
history  to  fix  the  ideal  and  develop  the  institutions 
which  shall  make  her  one  of  the  great  nations  of 
the  future,  let  us  hope  one  of  the  great  Christian 
nations  of  coming  centuries.’’ — Ernest  DeWiti  Burton. 


"Xt  1^5 


i'S 


REPORT  ON  CHRISTIAN  EDudATION 

IN  CHINA 

Prepared  by  W.  Henry  Grant,  Secretary  of  the  Conference  of  Foreign  Mi88ioni» 
Boards,  Including  the  Recommendations  of  the  Commission  and  an 
Address  by  Professor  Ernest  D.  Bui-ton,  University  of  Cbi«  ago. 

SYLLABUS. 

Commission  Constituted — Membership  of  Commission — Historical  Re¬ 
sume — Missionary  Conferences^ — Formation  of  the  Educational  Association 
of  China — Appointment  of  General  Educational  Board — Present  Status 
of  Christian  Schools  in  China — Educational  Work  of  the  Chinese  Govern¬ 
ment — Government  and  Christian  Schools  Compared — Use  of  English  in 
the  Schools  of  China — Chinese  Classics  a  Serious  Problem — The  Problem 
of  Finance — A  Christian  University  and  the  Strengthening  of  Existing 
Institutions — A  Macedonian  Call  from  China — Recommendations  as  to 
Scope  and  Work  of  Commission — Some  Problems  to  be  Studied  by  the 
Commission — Professor  Burton’s  Address — China  Emergency  Appeal 
Committee  of  Great  Britain — The  Oxford  and  Cambridge  University 
Scheme — The  Oriental  Educational  Investigation  Commission  of  the 
University  of  Chicago — Constitution  of  the  Educational  Association  of 
China. 

COM  MISSION  CONSTITUTED. 

The  charter  of  the  Committee  on  Christian  Education  in 
China  is  set  forth  in  the  Report  of  the  Sixteenth  Conference 
of  Foreign  Missions  Boards  of  the  United  States  and  Canada, 
1909,  and  is  contained  in  the  recommendation  of  its  Com¬ 
mittee  on  Reference  and  Counsel,  “that  a  committee  be  ap¬ 
pointed  to  assist  the  Boards  and  other  Christian  agencies,  and 
to  co-operate  with  the  General  Educational  Committee*  ap¬ 
pointed  by  the  Shanghai  Conference,  and  with  the  China  Edu¬ 
cational  Associationf  in  bringing  the  educational  needs  of 
China  before  the  people  of  the  United  States  and  Canada,  and 
to  aid  in  securing  such  sums  as  may  be  found  practicable  for 
this  purpose.”  After  careful  consideration  the  Conference 

"'Resolved,  That  the  proposal  for  the  appointment  of  a  Committee  on 
the  present  educational  needs  and  opportunities  in  China  be  approved, 
and  that  this  Committee  consist  of  the  Committee  on  Reference  and 
Counsel  with  the  addition  of  twelve  laymen,  not  more  than  half  of 
whom  shall  be  members  of  mission  boards,  these  laymen  to  be  chosen 
by  the  Committee  on  Reference  and  Counsel,  and  this  new  Committee 
to  appoint  its  own  officers  ;  and.  That  the  function  of  this  Committee 
shall  be  to  promote  a  larger  interest  in  Christian  education  in  China, 
but  it  shall  not  itself  receive  or  administer  funds  therefor  without  fur¬ 
ther  action  of  this  Conference.” 


*  Now  Galled  The  China  Centenary  Missionary  Conference  General  Hoard  of  Edn- 
cation. 

t  Educational  Association  of  China. 


( 


MEMBERSHIP  OF  THE  COMMISSION. 


President  Edgar  A.  Alderman,  LL.D.,  University  of  Virginia,  Char¬ 
lottesville,  Va. 

The  Rev.  James  L.  Barton,  D.D.,  14  Beacon  Street,  Boston,  Mass. 

The  Rev.  Thos  S.  Barbour,  D.D.,  Ford  Building,  Boston,  Mass. 

The  Rev.  Arthur  J.  Brown,  D.D.,  156  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York. 

The  Rev.  Henry  N.  Cobb,  D.D.,  25  East  22d  Street,  New  York. 

The  Hon.  John  W.  Foster,  LL.D.,  1323  i8th  Street,  Washington,  D.  C. 
Mr.  W.  Henry  Grant,  156  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York. 

President  Arthur  T.  Hadley,  LL.D.,  New  Haven,  Conn. 

The  Hon.  Charles  E.  Hughes,  Hotel  Astor,  New  York. 

The  Rev.  Walter  R.  Lambuth,  M.D.,  D.D.,  346  Public  Square,  Nash¬ 
ville,  Tenn. 

The  Hon.  Seth  Low,  LL.D.,  30  East  64th  Street,  New  York. 

Mr.  John  R.  Mott,  124  East  28th  Street,  New  York. 

Mr.  George  Wharton  Pepper,  1730  Pine  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Mr.  N.  W.  Rowell,  46  King  Street  West,  Toronto. 

Mr.  Robert  E.  Speer,  156  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York. 

The  Rev.  Homer  C.  Stuntz,  D.D.,  150  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York. 

The  Rev.  Alex.  Sutherland,  D.D.,  33  Richmond  Street  West,  Toronto. 
The  Rev.  Charles  R.  Watson,  D.D.,  200  N.  15th  St.,  Philadelphia. 
President  Woodrow  Wilson,  LL.D.,  Princeton,  N.  J. 

RECOMMENDATIONS  AS  TO  THE  PRESENT  SCOPE  AND  WORK  OF 
THE  COMMISSION  AS  ADOPTED  JANUARY  12,  I9IO. 

That  the  Committee  be  called  “The  Commission  on  Chris¬ 
tian  Education  in  China.” 

That  the  tentative  report  of  the  Commission  which  is  before 
the  Conference  in  printed  form  be  regarded  as  a  report  of 
progress ;  that  the  Conference  express  satisfaction  with  the 
Commission. 

That  the  Commission  be  authorized  at  its  discretion  to  add 
to  its  number  not  to  exceed  five  men,  who  may  be  either  min¬ 
isters  or  laymen,  including  the  two  laymen  still  required  to 
complete  the  number  of  twelve  laymen  authorized  last  year. 

That  the  Commission  be  authorized  at  its  discretion  to  elect 
from  its  membership  an  executive  committee,  and  to  determine 
the  powers  and  duties  of  the  same. 

Following  its  appointment  it  was  deemed  wise  that  certain 
preliminary  information  should  be  gathered  for  the  purposes 
of  the  Committee,  and  to  this  end  the  secretary  of  the  confer¬ 
ence  was  authorized  to  conduct  correspondence  in  behalf  of  the 
Committee.  The  following  report  is  based  largely  upon  this 
correspondence  and  matter  already  published  but  not  imme¬ 
diately  available  for  circulation. 

2 


Before  presenting  matter  relating  to  existing  constructive 
movements  it  appears  necessary  to  give  a  brief  historical 
resume,  setting  forth  the  beginnings  and  wide  extension  of 
educational  missionary  work,  and  the  natural  presentation  and 
discussion  of- this  subject  in  the  general  conferences  of  mis¬ 
sionaries,  which  gradually  led  to  the  formation  of  the  mis¬ 
sionary  “Educational  Association  of  China”  and  of  the  “Gen¬ 
eral  Board  of  Education,”  active  membership  in  the  first  being 
confined  to  members  of  “Protestant  Christian  Churches  en¬ 
gaged  or  who  have  been  engaged  in  educational  work  or  in 
making  and  editing  school  and  text  books,”  the  second  repre¬ 
senting  the  Centenary  Missionary  Conference  held  in  Shang¬ 
hai,  1907. 

HISTORICAL  RESUME. 

The  very  nature  of  mission  work  binds  the  propagation  of 
the  Gospel  to  an  educational  development :  first,  the  missionary 
is  himself  at  school,  in  studying  a  new  language,  and  inci¬ 
dentally  is  educating  his  teacher.  Those  to  whom  he  has  ac¬ 
cess  immediately  begin  to  widen  their  literary  and  intellectual 
horizon,  and  to  enter  a  distinctly  higher  sphere  of  philosophy 
and  ethics,  and  to  find  the  deeper  moral  causes  underlying  the 
rise  and  fall  of  empires. 

In  China,  following  John  of  Monte  Corvino  in  the  thirteenth 
century,  we  find  the  Jesuit  Fathers  in  the  sixteenth  century  in¬ 
troducing  the  knowledge  of  the  elements  of  Western  science  and 
history  of  that  era.  Later,  after  the  beginning  of  the  Protestant 
Missions,  Morrison’s  first  work  was  the  creation  of  a  dictionary 
containing  a  Chinese  and  English  working  vocabulary,  which 
became  the  stepping  stone  to  the  study  of  the  Chinese  language 
by  foreigners  and  of  the  English  language  by  Chinese.  The 
next  step  was  the  founding  of  the  Morrison  Educational  Soci¬ 
ety  with  its  school  near  Canton,  and  the  issuing  of  text-books 
in  Chinese  and  English  of  an  elementary  character. 

Mission  day  and  boarding  schools  followed  the  opening  of  •-* 

mission  stations  in  all  parts  of  the  Empire.  Many  of  the  day 
schools  at  first  were  very  elementary  and  largely  given  to  the 
teaching  of  children  to  read,  especially  the  Bible  and  books  of 
a  primary  order  containing  distinctively  Christian  ideas.  The 
boarding  schools  served  for  somewhat  higher  training  and 
brought  the  youth  into  more  direct  contact  with,  the  mission¬ 
aries.  In  some  cases  these  were  carried  on  with  the  distinct 
aim  of  raising  up  a  body  of  native  helpers.  In  other  cases  the 
aim  was  mainly  to  lift  the  children  out  of  their  heathen  environ- 

3 


meiit  and  give  them  some  opportunity  to  breathe  the  higher 
Christian  atmosphere  of  the  school.  So  it  came  about  in  the 
course  of  time  that  schools  were  multiplied  and  the  mission¬ 
aries  found  they  had  a  vast  educational  problem  on  their  hands 
without  special  preparation  for  organizing  and  conducting  edu¬ 
cational  work.  This  problem  was  greatly  enhanced  also  by  the 
fact  that  they  were  presumably  to  prepare  the  leaders  and 
teachers,  without  which  the  work  itself  could  not  become  estab¬ 
lished  and  extend. 

As  early  as  the  General  Conference  of  the  Protestant  Mis¬ 
sionaries  of  China,  held  at  .Shanghai,  May,  1877,  full  time  was 
allowed  for  papers  and  discussions  concerning  the  educational 
work,  under  the  following  heads :  ‘‘The  Relation  of  Protestant 
Missions  to  Education,”  “Day  Schools  for  Boys  and  Girls,” 
and  “Boarding  Schools  for  Boys.” 

This  process  was  repeated,  though  more  was  assumed,  at  the 
General  Conference  of  the  Protestant  Missionaries  of  China, 
held  at  Shanghai,  May,  1890,  when  leading  essays  were  pre¬ 
sented  on’  the  following  themes :  “History  and  present  condi¬ 
tion  of  mission  schools  and  what  further  plans  are  desirable” 
(Rev.  R.  N.  Plumb,  American  Methodist  Episcopal  Mission, 
Eoochow).  “How  may  educational  work  be  made  most  to  ad¬ 
vance  the  cause  of  Christianity  in  China?”  (Rev.  C.  W.  Ma- 
teer,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  American  Presbyterian  Mission,  Tungchow, 
Shantung).  “The  relation  of  Christian  education  to  the  pres¬ 
ent  condition  and  needs  of  China”  (Rev.  D.  Z.  Sheffield,  Amer¬ 
ican  Board,  Tung  Chow,  Chili).  “The  Best  Method  of  Se¬ 
lecting  and  Training  Efficient  Native  Assistants,  Preachers, 
School  Teachers,  etc.”  (Rev.  Mart.  Schaub,  Basle  Mission,  Li- 
long).  “The  Best  Method  of  Selecting  and  Training  Native 
Preachers,  etc.”  (Rev.  J.  Lees,  London  Missionary  Society, 
Tientsin).  “The  Place  of  the  Chinese  Classics  in  Christian 
Schools  and  Colleges”  (Rev.  A.  P.  Parker,  D.D.,  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  South,  U.  S.  A.,  Soochow).  “Girls’ 
Schools”  (Miss  Hattie  Noyes,  American  Presbyterian  Mis¬ 
sion,  Canton,  and  Miss  Laura  A.  Haygood,  Methodist  Episco¬ 
pal  Church,  South,  IJ.  S.  A.,  Shanghai). 

FORMATION  OF  THE  EDUCATIONAL  ASSOCIATIONS  OF  CHINA. 

During  the  Shanghai  Conference  of  May,  1890,  a  few  of 
the  missionary  educators  present  at  the  sessions  of  the  confer¬ 
ence  met  to  take  into  consideration  the  advisability  of  forming 
an  educational  society.  “The  objects  contemplated  were  to 
give  unity  to  their  work,  to  devise  some  convenient  means  for 

4 


discussion  of  questions  of  common  interest,  and  to  provide 
facilities  for  the  preparation  and  publication  of  suitable  school 
literature/’  The  Association  known  as  the  Educational  Asso¬ 
ciation  of  China  was  duly  formed  and  a  constitution,  and  by¬ 
laws  adopted,*  and  a  provisional  list  of  officers  appointed. 

The  General  Conference  approved  the  turning  over  to  this 
Association  of  the  books,  materials  and  funds  which  had  ac¬ 
cumulated  in  the  hands  of  the  special  committee  on  ‘‘School 
and  Text-book  Series,”  appointed  by  the  General  Missionary 
Conference  of  1877.  This  took  place  on  May  20,  1890.  On 
the  following  day  a  meeting  of  the  members  of  the  Association 
was  held.  Following  this  meeting  the  general  secretary,  Rev. 
W.  T.  A.  Barber,  of  Wuchang,  issued  a  prospectus  giving  an 
account  of  the  objects  and  aims  of  the  Association,  pointing  out 
the  advantages  that  would  arise  from  united  effort  in  the  estab" 
lishment  and  working  of  mission  schools,  and  inviting  all  en¬ 
gaged  in  educational  work  in  China  to  become  members. 

The  Educational  Department  of  “The  Chinese  Recorder” 
became  the  monthly  bulletin  of  the  Association,  containing  its 
notices  and  reports  of  progress  and  leading  articles  on  educa¬ 
tional  work.  The  first  number  of  its  “Monthly  Bulletin”  appear¬ 
ed  in  May,  1907,  which  changed  its  name  January,  1909,  to 
“The  Educational  Review”  (Vol.  2,  No.  i). 

It  would  add  too  great  length  to  this  report  to  cite  the  nu¬ 
merous  articles  of  a  high  character  which  have  appeared  in 
“The  Chinese  Recorder,”  in  the  “Monthly  Bulletin”  and  the 
“Educational  Review,”  though  it  would  be  very  helpful  to  re¬ 
publish  some  of  these  articles,  and  print  an  index  whereby 
those  studying  the  subject  could  quickly  find  the  materials. 

By  the  amended  constitution  and  by-laws,  see  Educational 
Review,  August,  igog,  page  57,  a  section  was  added  authorizing 
the  secretary  to  enroll  as  Honorary  Life  Members  all  who  pay 
into  the  treasury  of  the  Association  in  one  payment  $50.00  in 
gold;  as  Sustaining  Members,  $5.00  gold;  as  Corresponding 
Members,  $1.00  gold. 

Resolutions  Adopted  at  China  Centenary  Missionary 

Conference,  May,  1907. 

APPOINTMENT  OF  GENERAL  BOARD  OF  EDUCATION. 

I.  Whereas,  The  opportunities  for  Christian  Educational 
work  have  greatly  increased  in  the  last  few  years,  owing  to  the 
reforms  taking  place  in  China,  and,  whereas,  this  demand  for 


*  See  Appendix. 


enlightenment  seems  to  constitute  a  distinct  call  from  God  to 
the  Christian  Church, 

Resolved,  (a)  That  we  urge  upon  the  home  churches, 
through  the  Boards  of  Missions,  the  necessity  of  developing  the 
secondary  or  high  schools  and  colleges  already  existing,  and 
the  founding  of  new  ones  where  none  have  been  established ; 
that  we  ask  for  more  liberal  support  for  this  educational  work, 
not  only  as  regards  money  but  also  as  regards  the  number  of 
men  and  women  assigned  to  take  part  in  it ;  inasmuch  as  we 
consider  that  the  effort  now  being  put  forth  is  in  no  sense 
commensurate  with  the  opportunities  at  our  door,  and  realize 
that  unless  we  seize  upon  the  opportunities  as  they  arise,  we 
may  lose  them  altogether. 

(b)  The  necessity  of  making  our  whole  primary  school  sys¬ 
tem  more  efficient  by  the  appointment  of  missionaries  who  have 
had  a  special  and  thorough  training  in  Home  Normal  Col¬ 
leges,*  to  take  the  superintendence  of  the  primary  schools  of 
the  Mission  to  which  they  are  appointed.  We  would  also  urge 
on  our  Boards  the  importance  of  a  more  liberal  allowance  for 
the  equipment  of  such  schools. 

II.  Resolved,  That  the  attention  of  the  different  missions 
be  called  to  the  urgent  need  of  union  and  co-operation  between 
the  colleges  of  different  churches  at  the  same  centers,  and  that 
every  effort  should  be  made  to  avoid  overlapping  and  redupli¬ 
cation  in  the  further  extension  of  educational  work. 

III.  Resolved,  That  all  missions  should  be  urged  to  unite 
in  the  establishment  of  Union  Normal  Schools  in,  at  least,  one 
center  in  each  province,  if  possible,  in  connection  with  already 
existing  institutions.  Also,  to  meet  the  immediate  need  of 
largely  increasing  the  number  and  efficiency  of  our  primary 
schools,  we  earnestly  recommend  the  establishment  of  summer 
normal  schools  in  all  the  provinces  for  the  better  training  of 
Christian  teachers. 

IV.  Resolved,  That  a  General  Education  Committee  be  ap¬ 
pointed  (i)  to  study  the  whole  field  of  education  in  China  with 
a  view  to  representing  to  liberal  givers  in  the  homelands  the 
pressing  need  of  strengthening  and  extending  the  work  of  our 
secondary  schools  and  colleges.  (2)  And,  inasmuch  as  the 
founding  of  a  Union  Christian  University  in  China  would  be 
of  great  benefit  to  the  cause  of  Christian  civilization  in  this 
empire,  this  Committee  should  take  into  consideration  how  it 
is  practicable  to  establish  such  a  university. 


*  Teachers’  Colleges,  in  Europe  or  America. 

6 


Further,  That  this  matter  be  referred  to  the  Committee  of 
Reference  to  draw  up  and  report  to  this  Conference  plans  for 
the  formation  and  work  of  such  a  general  Educational  Com¬ 
mittee. 


SUPPLEMENTARY  RESOLUTIONS. 

1.  Resolved)  That  a  General  Education  Committee  of  at 
least  forty  be  appointed,  which  shall  have  the  following  duties : 

(a)  To  study  the  whole  field  of  education  in  China. 

(b)  To  make  representations  regarding  these  matters  to  the 
Christian  public  in  the  homelands,  especially  in  regard  to  the 
pressing  need  of  strengthening  and  extending  the  work  of  our 
secondary  schools  and  colleges. 

2.  Resolved)  That  this  committee  elect^  from  their  own 
number  an  Executive  Committee  of  eleven. 

3.  Resolved)  That  this  Executive  Committee  be  given  full 
power  to  confer  with  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Educa¬ 
tional  Association  and,  if  it  seem  wise,  to  relate  itself  to  that 
organization. 

4.  Resolved)  That  we  recommend  that  those  in  charge  of 
educational  institutions,  by  leading  Christian  students  to  take 
part  in  different  lines  of  evangelistic  work  seek  to  direct  their 
minds  to  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel. 


EDUCATIONAL  ASSOCIATION  OF  CHINA. 

Whereas^  The  work  of  the  Educational  Association  of 
China  has  increased  to  such  an  extent  that  it  can  no  longer  be 
carried  on  efficiently  by  the  voluntary  service  of  missionaries 
already  overburdened  with  the  many  responsibilities  of  their 
respective  missions ;  and,  Whereas,  the  time  has  come  for  push¬ 
ing  forward  the  work  of  the  Association  in  such  a  way  as  will 
make  it  a*  more  efficient  agency  in  serving  the  whole  body  of 
missionaries  engaged  in  educational  work ; 

Resolved)  (a)  That  steps  be  taken  to  procure  as  speedily  as 
possible  a  fund  sufficient  to  place  at  the  disposal  of  the  Execu¬ 
tive  Committee,  a  sum  of  not  less  than  ten  thousand  dollars 
gold,  or  two  thousand  pounds,  per  annum,  thus  enabling  the 
committee  to  secure  the  services  of  two  foreign  secretaries  and 
two  Chinese  assistants,  to  rent  a  suitable  office,  to  publish  two 

7 


educational  periodicals,  one  in  English  and  one  in  Chinese,  and 
to  render  more  efficient  service  to  the  cause  of  Christian  edu¬ 
cation. 

PRESENT  STATUS  OF  CHRISTIAN  SCHOOLS  IN  CHINA. 

Statistical  data  is  not  available  out  of  which  to  compile  a 
report  on  either  Christian  or  Government  schools  and  colleges. 
The  reports  show  that  some  of  the  Christian  colleges  have  full 
college  courses  as  ordinarily  understood,  while  others  have  only 
one  or  two  classes  of  college  grade  or  none  at  all.  In  some  cases 
there  is  a  system  of  graded  schools  leading  to  the  college ;  in 
other  cases  the  students  first  pass  through  the  preparatory  de¬ 
partment  of  the  college  itself.  The  secretary  of  the  Educa¬ 
tional  Association  is  now  gathering  the  complete  statistics  and 
they  will  be  available  probably  within  a  few  months. 

We  are  indebted  to  the  Rev.  E.  L.  Hawks  Pott,  D.D.,  Presi¬ 
dent  of  St.  John’s  Ehiiversity,  Shanghai,  and  of  the  Educational 
Association  of  China*  for  the  following  general  statements 
regarding  the  “Present  Status  of  Missionary  Schools,” 

“The  Church  has  come  to  appreciate  as  never  before  the  im¬ 
mense  value  of  this  branch  of  missionary  enterprise,  and  the 
uniqueness  of  the  opportunity  it  afifords  for  influencing  classes 
which  otherwise  could  not  be  reached.  A  broader  view  is  tak¬ 
en  of  the  Church’s  mission  in  the  world,  and  we  realize  more 
fully  that  it  is  to  leaven  the  social  and  national  life,  and  that 
Christian  education  is  an  important  factor  for  the  accomplish¬ 
ment  of  this  end. 

“There  are  at  least  seven  hundred  men  and  women  mission¬ 
aries  who  give  the  larger  part  of  their  time  to  teaching.  Schools 
of  all  grades  are  under  their  control  and  oversight.  At  least 
1500  primary  schools  have  been  established  giving  instruction 
to  30,000  pupils.  Elementary  day-schools  are  on  the  increase, 
and  boarding  schools  for  boys  and  girls  are  numerous,  provid¬ 
ing  education  for  12,000  pupils.  As  many  as  twenty  institu¬ 
tions  may  be  aaid  to  have  attained  the  rank  of  colleges,  and  a 
few  have  assumed  the  name  of  university.  Some  of  the  col¬ 
leges  have  theological  and  medical  departments  connected  with 
them.  In  addition,  there  are  separate  union  theological  and 
medical  schools. 

“The  standard  of  the  work  in  many  of  the  institutions  is  of 
high  order.  It  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that  up  to  the  present 
time  the  best  educational  work  in  China  has  been  done  by  the 
missionaries.  This  is  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  the  students 
who  go  from  these  institutions  to  study  abroad  are  better  pre¬ 
pared,  and  acquit  themselves  most  creditably  in  England  and 

8 


America.  The  position  to  which  we  have  attained  then  is 
this ;  we  have  developed  all  grades  of  educational  work  up  to 
the  college,  giving  a  sound  education  in  arts  and  science,  the¬ 
ology  and  medicine,  and  we  have  produced  a  few  institutions 
which  are  universities  in  the  process  of  making.  The  gradu¬ 
ates  are  loyal  and  patriotic  subjects  of  the  Empire,  with  moral 
integrity  and  earnestness  of  purpose.  They  are  not  found  in 
the  ranks  of  the  revolutionaries,  but  are  eager  to  help  in  the 
reform  movement  in  this  country  by  helping  in  the  spread  of 
the  new  ideas  and  of  higher  ideals  of  life.  They  have  already 
done  good  service  for  their  country  by  filling  posts  as  teach¬ 
ers  in  the  new  Government  schools  and  colleges.  They  form 
one  of  the  most  enlightened  elements  in  the  social  and  politi¬ 
cal  life  of  the  empire. 

“It  will  not  do,  however,  to  paint  the  picture  in  roseate 
hues,  but  we  will  do  well  to  put  before  ourselves  some  of  the 
elements  of  weakness  in  our  work  which  hinder  it  from  be¬ 
coming  more  efficient.  The  first  of  these  elements  of  weakness 
is  our  lack  of  definite  system.  A  second  element  of  weakness 
arises  from  the  fact  that  undoubtedly  there  is  at  present  a 
lack  of  economy  in  the  expenditure  of  resources  and  energ)^ 
This  is  due  to  the  lack  of  union.  As  I  have  already  stated,  we 
have  produced  colleges  and  a  few  embryo  universities,  but 
none  of  them  are  as  strong  and  efficient  as  they  should  be. 
Each  one  is  conducted  at  a  large  expense  and  educates  compara¬ 
tively  few  students.  The  universal  cry  is  lack  of  means  and  in¬ 
sufficiency  of  stafif.  Each  is  eagerly  hoping  that  some  wealthy 
philanthropist  will  bestow  his  bounty  upon  it,  and  put  it  into 
a  position  to  enlarge  its  work  and  develop  into  a  flourishing 
university.  Meanwhile  each  goes  on  with  its  struggling  ex¬ 
istence. 

“A  third  element  of  weakness  to  which  I  would  allude  is  the 
lack  of  continuity  in  our  work.  It  has  its  source  in  what  I 
have  already  mentioned,  the  attempt  to  carry  on  a  large  work 
with  an  insufficient  force. 

“The  last  element  of  weakness  to  which  I  will  refer  is  that 
our  education  is  not  practical  enough.  We  train  men  in  .the¬ 
ology  and  medicine,  but  apart  from  these,  we  have  no  profes¬ 
sional  schools.  Where  are  our  schools  of  law,  and  engineering 
and  mines,  and  agriculture?  They  simply  do  not  exist  at  all. 

“The  elements  of  strength  in  our  work  are,  first,  the  large 
amount  of  liberty  we  possess.  Safe-guarded  by  treaties,  we 
are  free  to  develop  in  this  country,  as  a  branch  of  missionary 
work,  the  school  and  the  college  on  the  lines  which  we  deem 

9 


to  be  the  best.  We  are  hampered  with  no  restrictions.  We 
can  be  of  more  real  value  to  China  by  keeping  the  management 
of  our  institutions  in  our  own  hands.  The  day  has  not  ar¬ 
rived  when  we  can  allow  the  Government  to  exercise  an  active 
control  over  them.  We  can  modify  our  curriculum,  we  can 
.submit  to  inspection,  we  can  send  our  students  to  examina- 
.tions,  but  we  can  do  nothing  that  will  hinder  the  distinctly 
Christian  character  of  our  work,  or  will  interfere  with  our 
Christian  aims.  I  firmly  believe  that  our  wisest  policy  is  to 
cherish  our  liberty  and  not  to  be  over-anxious  about  Govern¬ 
ment  recognition. 

“Another  great  element  of  strength  is  that  our ‘institutions 
are  Christian.  The  Christian  college  furnishes  the  Christian 
environment.  Here  in  China  the  contrast  between  the  Chris¬ 
tian  and  the  non-Christian  college  is  more  sharply  accentuated, 
than  in  America. 

“The  last  element  of  strength  to  which  I  will  allude  is  the 
better  administration  and  discipline  of  our  institutions.  The 
explanation  lies  largely  in  the  fact  that  up  to  the  present  time 
the  Chinese  have  placed  at  the  head  of  their  institutions  men 
high  in  official  rank,  but  without  any  experience  as  to  how  a 
college  or  school  should  be  conducted.  These  men  have  not 
been  educated  on  modern  lines  and  know  nothing  of  the 
science  of  education.  What  commends  our  schools  so  highly 
to  the  Chinese  at  present  is  that  they  know  they  are  well 
managed.” 

Recently  the  management  of  a  large  government  institu¬ 
tion  in  China  was  offered  to  a  thoroughly  well  educated  young 
Chinese  of  high  Christian  character.  Every  one  thought  he 
was  eminently  fitted  for  the  position  and  regretted  to  hear  that 
he  had  declined  it.  When  asked  his  reason  for  so  doing,  he 
replied  that  he  did  not  have  sufficient  official  influence  to  make 
it  possible  for  him  to  carry  on  the  work  successfully.  He 
would  not  be  able  to  take  a  firm  stand  on  any  question  unless 
he  could  count  on  a  strong  official  backing.  It  would  be  pos¬ 
sible  for  his  enemies  (and  he  would  be  sure  to  make  such)  to 
have  him  removed  on  one  pretext  or  another  whenever  he  did 
anything  that  might  arouse  opposition. 

Turning  to  a  consideration  of  what  should  be  our  special 
aim  at  the  most  critical  period,  Dr.  Pott  says,  “One  great  pur¬ 
pose  should  undoubtedly  be  to  strengthen  existing  institutions 
and  to  raise  them  to  their  highest  point  of  efficiency.  In  the 
extension  of  our  work  we  must  profit  by  the  mistakes  already 
made  and  cease  to  multiply  boarding  schools  and  colleges  in 


10 


centers  already  occupied,  and  as  far  as  possible  where  insti¬ 
tutions  exist  in  close  proximity,  co-operation  and  affiliation 
should  be  our  ideal.’’  ‘‘If  Oxford  and  Cambridge  can  provide 
what  is  needed  for  a  certain  center  let  us  welcome  the  gift 
gladly.  If  we  cannot  get  help  in  this  way  from  English  and 
American  universities,  we  must  take  into  consideration  what 
we  can  do  ourselves  by  working  together,  and  no  spirit  of 
rivalry  or  jealousy  should  be  allowed  to  stand  in  our  way.” 

“We  must  have  the  further  aim  of  working  as  far  as  pos¬ 
sible  in  harmony  with  the  system  of  government  education. 
We  must  not  regard  it  as  an  enemy,  but  as  an  ally.”  “If  we 
do  our  work  thoroughly  and  conscientiously,  actuated  by  the 
highest  motives,  it  will  continue  to  be  blessed  by  Him  who 
presides  over  the  destiny  of  this  nation,  and  is  working  out 
before  our  eyes  His  own  great  plan  for  the  elevation  and  re¬ 
generation  of  this  people.” 

THE  EDUCATIONAL  WORK  OF  THE  CHINESE  GOVERNMENT. 

Among  the  “Let  there  be’s”  in  the  form  of  Chinese  Imperial 
Edicts  is  the  following  which  appeared  in  the  Monthly  Bulletin 
of  the  Educational  Association  of  China,  May,  1908 : 

“All  boys  over  eight  years  of  age  must  go  to  school,  or  their  parents 
or  relatives  will  be  punished.  If  they  have  no  relatives,  the  officials  will 
be  held  responsible  for  their  education.” 

The  carrying  out  of  this  simple  but  comprehensive  order  will 
require  one  million  schools  in  place  of  the  now  estimated  forty 
thousand,  a  multiplication  of  the  present  number  by  twenty-five, 
or  an  addition  of  nine  hundred  and  sixty  thousand  schools  with 
a  staflF  of  one  million  and  a  half  to  two  millions  of  teachers  and 
all  that  is  involved  in  their  preparation  and  the  financing  of  the 
scheme.  In  presenting  some  aspects  of  the  educational  work 
of  the  Chinese  Government,  without  attempting  to  recite  all  its 
difficulties  or  to  give  a  careful  description  of  the  few  schools 
which  have  attained  a  fair  degree  of  efficiency,  we  shall  draw 
largely  upon  an  article  by  John  C.  Eerguson,  Ph.D.,  which  ap¬ 
peared  in  the  Educational  Review,  June,  1909?  entitled  “The 
Government  Schools  of  China.” 

“A  general  system  of  schools  for  the  whole  Empire,  under 
the  supervision  of  the  Government,  is  of  such  recent  date  that 
available  information  as  to  what  has  been  already  accomplished 
is  limited  in  scope  and  frequently  lacking  in  detail.  After  the 
establishment  of  the  Board  of  Education  in  1905  there  was 
worked  out,  largely  under  the  direction  of  Their  Excellencies, 
Sun  Chia-nai  and  Chang  Chih-tung,  a  comprehensive  scheme. 


which  included  the  establishment  of  a  Central  University  in 
Peking,  affiliated  Colleges,  Technical  and  Normal  Schools  in 
each  Provincial  capital.  High  Schools  in  each  Prefectural  city, 
and  Primary  Schools  in  each  Departmental  city  and  village. 
This  is  a  bare  outline  of  a  plan  which  contemplated  as  its  final 
outcome  compulsory  education  in  Primary  Schools  of  all  boys 
and  girls,  and  provision  for  the  more  promising  students  to 
be  able  to  advance,  through  higher  schools,  to  a  normal,  tech¬ 
nical  or  university  education.  In  order  to  give  uniformity  to 
these  schools,  an  elaborate  Course  of  Study  was  laid  out  as  a 
general  guide  in  the  formation  of  a  completely  articulated 
system  of  national  education.  The  whole  scheme,  including 
regulations,  courses  of  study,  suggestions  as  to  the  method  of 
establishing  schools,  etc.,  etc.,  was  embodied  in  a  large  tome, 
prepared  by  H.  E.  Chang  Chih-tung,  and  authorized  by  Im¬ 
perial  edict.  A  careful  perusal  of  these  volumes  shows  that 
the  underlying  principle  of  their  compilation  was  the  desire  to 
maintain  and  provide  for  thorough  instruction  in  the  classical 
and  historical  literature  of  China,  thus  enabling  the  new  sys¬ 
tem  of  education  to  attach  itself,  without  too  great  a  wrench, 
to  the  earlier  system  which  was  centered  around  the  Civil  Ser¬ 
vice  Examinations.  This  principle  was  unquestionably  a  wise 
one,  judged  by  the  standard  of  educational  usefulness  in  na¬ 
tional  life,  but  entailed  a  consequent  difficulty  in  delaying  the 
rapid  development  of  the  new  form  of  universal  education. 

“Under  the  former  system  of  China  the  Government  made 
no  provision  for  instruction,  but  confined  itself  to  the  single 
task  of  examining  pupils  who  presented  themselves  as  candi¬ 
dates  for  degrees.  Instruction  was  obtained  through  private 
tutors,  or  in  schools  opened  by  teachers  on  their  own  respon¬ 
sibility.  There  was  no  supervision  of  existing  schools,  no 
fixed  courses  of  study,  no  textffiooks,  and  no  specified  qualifi¬ 
cation  for  teachers.  Each  small  school  was  a  law  to  itself, 
and  each  teacher  used  such  books  and  methods  as  were  familiar 
to  him.  The  aim  of  the  system  was  to  produce  men  of  parts 
who  would  stand  high  in  the  examinations  for  degrees,  and 
those  teachers  were  considered  the  best  in  their  profession 
who  had  the  largest  number  of  successful  candidates.  In  this 
respect  it  dififered  wholly  from  the  aim  of  the  new  system, 
which  has  for  its  goal  universal  education.  The  difficulty  of 
joining  together  two  systems  with  such  distinctly  dififerent 
aims  must  be  appreciated  and  understood  by  those  who  desire 
to  know  the  present  status  of  government  education  in  China. 


12 


“It  was  reasonable  to  expect  that  the  first  steps  taken  by  a 
Government  accustomed  to  the  former  regime  would  be  the 
founding  of  schools  and  colleges  devoted  to  instruction  in 
higher  branches.  Men  of  thorough  attainments  in  the  new 
learning  were  needed  at  once,  and  the  attempt  was  made  to 
produce  them  from  these  advanced  schools.  Laboratories  were 
equipped,  foreign  instructors  engaged,  large  buildings  erected, 
and  generous  endowments  provided.  It  was  soon  found,  how¬ 
ever,  that  these  provisions  did  not  make  it  possible  to  turn  out 
the  finished  product  of  well-educated  men  in  a  short  time. 
Students  who  entered  after  having  had  irregular  training  for 
several  .years  in  various  schools  were  still  obliged  to  pursue 
their  studies  for  many  subsequent  years  in  order  to  attain  to 
a  fixed  uniform  standard.  One  school  of  high  grade  in  the 
north  gathered  students  from  southern  ports  where  foreign 
schools  had  been  established  for  many  years.  This  plan  of 
securing  students  was  not  continued,  for  the  reason  that  each 
Provincial  Government  soon  decided  that  its  first  duty  was  to 
educate  students  from  its  own  province,  and  that,  in  order  to 
do  so,  it  must  take  them  through  several  years  of  preparatory 
training  before  they  were  fit  to  commence  special  studies. 
Other  schools  started  with  students  who  had  had  a  thorough 
preliminary  training  in  Chinese  studies,  and  were  able  to  de¬ 
vote  a  large  portion  of  their  time  immediately  to  modern  sub¬ 
jects.  After  two  or  three  years  of  training,  the  best  of  these 
were  sent  abroad,  the  underlying  object  being  to  hurry  for¬ 
ward  their  thorough  training  in  as  short  a  time  as  possible. 
However,  it  was  found  that,  whatever  method  was  followed, 
it  was  impossible  to  obtain  well-trained  men  without  going 
through  long  years  of  patient  study.  The  old  system  required 
from  fifteen  to  twenty  years  for  the  average  student  to  reach 
his  first  degree,  but  it  was  hoped  that  the  new  system  would 
enable  men  to  reach  a  similar  degree  within  a  much  shorter 
time.  There  was  a  wave  of  enthusiasm,  lasting  two  or  three 
years,  for  the  sending  of  students  to  Japan  to  take  short 
courses  which  would  fit  them  to  become  teachers  in  Primary 
and  High  Schools.  As  many  as  twenty  or  thirty  thousand 
young  men,  thoroughly  representative  of  the  best  type  of 
learning  under  the  old  system,  went  to  Japan  filled  with  the 
hope  of  reaching  their  goal  in  a  short  time.  With  the  solid 
good  sense  which  is  characteristic  of  the  Chinese  race,  they 
soon  discovered  that  they  had  made  a  mistake.  The  new 
learning,  they  found,  needed  the  same  amount  of  patient  study 
that  had  been  required  under  the  old  system,  and  they  returned 

13 


to  their  own  land  to  continue  the  time-honored,  patient,  pur¬ 
suit  of  knowledge.  From  every  possible  source  it  was  borne 
in  upon  the  leaders  of  the  educational  movement  that  the  at¬ 
tempt  to  introduce  the  new  education  from  the  top,  by  the 
establishment  of  a  few  schools  of  higher  learning,  was 
an  impossible  one,  and  that  the  only  way  to  accom¬ 
plish  this  purpose  was  to  encourage  the  establishment 
of  large  numbers  of  Primary  Schools.  The  growth 
of  this  opinion  did  not  follow,  perhaps,  in  chronologi¬ 
cal  order  the  stages  which  I  have  been  indicating,  but  was 
unquestionably  influenced  and  modified  by  each  one  of  these 
considerations.  The  result  has  been  that  there  has  been  a 
standstill  in  the  development  of  higher  schools ;  each  of  them 
remains  practically  what  it  was  five  or  six  years  ago,  and  as 
these  schools  have  been  the  best  known  of  all  the  parts  of  the 
system,  many  have  formed  incorrect  opinions  as  to  the  pres¬ 
ent  condition  of  Government  education. 

‘'One  marked  feature  of  these  higher  schools  was  the  employ¬ 
ment  of  foreign  instructors.  When  they  were  founded,  it 
was  considered  as  necessary  to  employ  foreign  teachers  as  to 
erect  school  buildings.  The  employment  of  foreign  teachers 
gave  at  once  a  character  and  standing  to  school  enterprises. 
It  was  customary 'to  estimate  the  standard  of  a  school  by  the 
number  of  foreigners  employed.  .  .  .  During  the  last  few 
years  a  change  has  come,  and  there  has  been  a  gradual  dimin¬ 
ution  in  the  number  of  foreign  teachers,  although  it  must  be 
remembered  that  at  no  time  has  the  number  of  such  teachers 
been  large.  .  .  .  Many  of  those  whose  services  were  dispensed 
with  were  men  of  wide  experience  in  educational  work  in 
China.  Their  dismissal  was  frequently  the  result  of  no  stated 
policy,  but  simply  because  the  management  of  the  school  had 
passed  into  other  hands.  In  explanation  of  the  decrease  in 
the  number  of  foreign  instructors,  it  must  be  noted  that,  at  the 
time  of  the  founding  of  schools,  it  not  infrequently  happened 
that  foreign  professors  were  engaged  to  teach  special  sub¬ 
jects  which  there  were  no  students  fitted  to  undertake.  The 
result  was  that  these  specially  qualified  teachers  spent  a  large 
proportion  of  their  time  in  teaching  some  foreign  language, 
and  that  they  were  never  able,  during  their  whole  term  of  ser¬ 
vice,  to  teach  the  subjects  for  which  they  were  engaged.  .  .  . 
A  fuller  understanding  of  the  educational  needs  on  the  part 
of  those  in  authority  is  sure  to  reveal  the  fact  that  it  will  be 
necessary  to  employ  many  foreigners  in  the  development  of 
education  in  China,  and  in  the  formation  of  a  teaching  pro¬ 
fession. 


14 


‘‘Allusion  has  been  made  to  the  discovery  that  many  schools 
which  were  started  as  schools  of  higher  learning  were  in  real¬ 
ity  only  elementary  in  their  grade.  This,  together  with  the 
recognition  of  the  fact  that  it  was  impossible  to  introduce  the 
new  education  from  the  top,  caused  the  Government  to  divert 
its  energies  from  the  existing  advanced  schools  to  the  founding 
of  large  numbers  of  elementary  schools.  The  Government 
policy,  since  the  establishment  of  the  Board  of  Education,  has 
been  the  encouragement  of  elementary  rather  than  advanced 
schools.  Local  officials  and  gentry  have  everywhere  been  en¬ 
couraged  to  start  small  schools,  in  unpretentious  buildings, 
and  without  the  need  of  large  sums  of  money. 

“In  an  address  before  this  Association  several  years  ago,  I 
alluded  to  a  plan  providing  Readers  for  the  teaching  of  the 
Chinese  language.  ...  At  the  present  time,  such  Readers  are 
so  common  as  to  cause  younger  teachers  to  imagine  that  they 
had  always  been  in  use.  In  all  modern  schools  they  have  re¬ 
placed  the  former  clumsy  method  of  teaching  the  language  by 
memorizing  the  Classics.  They  have  made  it  possible  for  a 
child  to  learn  to  recognize  characters  much  more  quickly  than 
formerly,  and  to  be  able  to  put  these  characters  together  into 
simple  sentences.  The  introduction  of  Readers  has  marked 
a  decided  progress  in  the  advance  of  universal  education,  as 
they  have  made  easier  the  stupendous  task  of  mastering  the 
knowledge  of  Chinese  written  characters.  The  tendency  of 
these  modern  schools  is  toward  a  more  simple  method  of  ex-  . 
pression,  but  it  yet  remains  to  be  seen  whether  theii  methods 
will  be  able  to  produce  a  sufficient  number  of  writers  of  the 
style  required  for  official  documents  and  books.  It  is  hardly 
probable  that  the  best  style  of  writing  can  be  acquired  by  those 
who  have  so  many  new  subjects  to  be  mastered,  while  at  the 
same  time  they  are  expected  to  be  men  of  good  physique. 

“From  the  large  number  of  students  who  have  gone  to  for¬ 
eign  countries  to  pursue  courses  of  study,  it  might  have  been 
expected  that  the  supply  of  well-qualified  teachers  would  be 
proportionate  to  the  demand;  but  unfortunately  such  is  not 
the  case.  Only  a  very  small  number  of  returned  students  de¬ 
vote  themselves  in  the  work  of  teaching.  Even  those  who  do» 
find  positions  in  schools  rarely  expect  to  devote  their  lives  to 
teaching,  but  only  make  it  a  stepping-stone  to  other  more  lucra¬ 
tive  employment.  This  is  to  be  expected  in  the  case  of  teach¬ 
ers  of  elementary  schools,  but  not  in  the  case  of  the  higher 
schools.  These  should  be  able  to  secure  and  retain  perma¬ 
nently  the  services  of  men  who  have  received  thorough  train- 

15 


ing.  It  should  have  been  possible  by  this  time  to  secure  re¬ 
turned  students  as  teachers  in  every  important  position  in  all 
Provincial  Colleges.  The  Board  of  Education  at  Peking  and 
the  Provincial  Bureaus  of  Education  should  also  have  had  a 
good  supply  of  them  for  their  work.  Up  to  the  present,  how¬ 
ever,  it  remains  true  that  this  class  has  not  contributed  any 
appreciable  influence  toward  the  spread  of  the  new  education 
of  which  they  themselves  are  the  product.  Too  little  of  the 
altruistic  spirit  has  been  found  among  them.  This  can  be  ex¬ 
plained  to  some  extent  by  the  urgent  demand  for  them  in  lu¬ 
crative  Government  positions,  but  they  are  more  needed  in 
schools  than  an3^where  else. 

‘Tn  this  rapid  and  imperfect  survey  of  the  present  condition 
of  education  in  China,  the  conclusion  is  reached  that  there  is 
coming  to  be  a  better  recognition  of  the  real  educational  needs 
of  the  Empire.” 

GOVERNMENT  AND  CHRISTIAN  SCHOOLS  COMPxVRED. 

A  comparison  between  the  Government  and  Christian  schools 
is  more  or  less  broug'ht  out  in  various  letters  and  articles. 
While  the  missionary  educators  at  present  claim  to  have  the 
best  schools  in  China,  they  do  so  with  modesty  and  with  a  ver)^ 
general  acknowledgment  that  the  educational  opportunity  has 
been  neglected  and  that,  excepting  in  a  comparatively  few  dis¬ 
tricts,  a  system  of  graded  schools  has  not  been  sufficiently  de¬ 
veloped  to  constitute  a  clearly  defined  educational  scheme.  In 
this  respect  the  Christian  colleges  are  little  better  off  than  die 
Government  colleges,  in  the  lack  of  feeders  in  the  shape  of 
good  primary,  elementary  and  secondary  schools. 

The  comparison  between  Christian  and  Government  school.-^ 
and  colleges  is  not  based  upon  their  educational  efficiency, 
though  many  of  the  Christian  schools  are  at  present  more  ef¬ 
ficient  as  educational  plants  than  the  Government  schools. 
The  chief  emphasis  is  placed  upon  the  moral  environment  and 
the  uplift  given  through  Christian  teaching.  Indeed  many  have 
conceded  that  as  the  Government  perfects  its  system  its  schooE 
must  in  time  become  formidable  rivals  to  the  existing  Chris¬ 
tian  schools,  and  that  unless  the  latter  are  further  strengthened 
and  perfected  as  schools  they  must  go  to  the  wall.  One  pre¬ 
pared  to  speak  authoritatively  on  the  subject  writes:  “The 
Chinese  are  determined  to  work  out  a  system  suited  to  their 
needs.  .  .  .  There  must  be  much  of  experiment  before  their 
new  system  is  wrought  out,  but  they  will  succeed  in  the  end. 

.  .  .  The  government  schools  of  today  are  greatly  hindered 
by  the  lack  of  a  sufficient  number  of  competent  teachers.  Still 

i6 


some  of  these  schools  in  certain  lines  are  superior  to  the  mis¬ 
sion  schools.  For  all  round  education  that  brings  real  culture 
and  the  true  development  of  the  man,  the  mission  schools  are 
far  ahead.  The  great  lack  in  the  Government  schools,  and 
that  which  renders  them  unfit  for  China’s  need,  is  the  want  of 
proper  training  for  the  moral  and  spiritual  man.  The  old 
Confucian  system,  while  still  holding  a  place  of  great  influ¬ 
ence,  is  practically  discarded  by  young  China.  Its  power  to 
mould  character  has  been  greatly  weakened  by  the  coming  of  the 
new  learning,  and  the  teaching  of  its  truths  in  the  schools  is 
largely  formal.  Here  is  both  the  opportunity  and  the  urgent 
need  for  the  mission  schools.  The  education  they  impart  not 
only  trains  the  intellect  but  develops  true  manhood.  Very 
many  of  the  Chinese,  of  the  ofiicials  and  gentry,  recognize  this 
lack  in  their  modern  schools,  hence  the  large  patronage  re¬ 
ceived  from  this  class  by  the  mission  schools.” 

The  difficulties  which  beset  a  properly  regulated  educational 
advance  in  China  under  governmental  guidance  and  control  are 
set  forth  in  the  following  terms ; 

■‘The  Government  Education  is  first  of  all  very  poorly  co¬ 
ordinated.  Some  officials  are  drawing  funds  for  the  support 
of  schools  and  putting  them  into  their  own  pockets,  while 
others  are  using  for  the  schools  under  their  care  all  the  funds 
available  and  in  addition  getting  other  funds  by  private  sub¬ 
scription.  The  plan  laid  down  by  the  Central  Board  of  Edu¬ 
cation  if  it  could  be  carefully  and  scientifically  carried  out, 
would  bring  large  results ;  but  teachers  are  lacking.  Eoreign 
educated  young  men,  as  a  rule,  find  the  disadvantages  of  the 
teacher’s  life  too  great,  and  the  allurements  of  official  or  pri¬ 
vate  business  life  too  great  to  continue  in  the  schools  to  which 
they  may  be  attached.  Their  heart  is  not  in  their  work, 
many  do  not  try  to  put  what  they  have  learned  in  the  English 
over  into  Chinese  so  as  to  make  it  available  to  all  their  class. 
Again  every  school  is  in  the  hands  of  four  sets  of  managers, 
the  Board  of  Education,  which  may  include  the  central  board 
and  a  local  board,  the  directors  of  the  special  school,  the  fac¬ 
ulty  and  the  students.  The  latter,  by  playing  one  of  the  for¬ 
mer  ofif  against  one  or  both  of  the  other  two,  are  almost  in  every 
case  able  to  decide  the  policy  of  the  school  and  are  almost  always 
able  to  procure  the  dismissal  of  a  teacher,  foreign  or  native, 
to  whom  they  may  have  taken  a  dislike.  Such  schools  may 
hardly  be  said  to  pursue  an  enlightened  and  continuous  policy 
for  two  consecutive  years.  Only  last  year,  the  Imperial  Uni¬ 
versity,  after  having  gradually  gotten  rid  of  its  foreign  faculty, 
graduated  its  only  class  and  now  it  has  to  begin  from  the  bot- 

17 


tom  again  with  no  source  from  which  to  draw  students  to 
make  up  even  a  freshman  class.  I  should  add  that  there  are 
exceptional  and  very  encouraging  cases  in  both  Government 
and  Private  Schools  where  an  enlightened  policy  is  carried  out 
continuously.” 

THE  USE  OF  ENGLISH  IN  THE  SCHOOLS  OF  CHINA. 

Rev.  Dr.  James  L.  Barton,  one  of  the  Corresponding  Secre¬ 
taries  of  the  American  Board,  and  a  member  of  this  Commit¬ 
tee,  in  stating  his  opinion  that  the  Committee  should  have  full 
and  first  hand  information  on  the  subject  of  education  in 
China,  lays  special  emphasis  on  the  Committee’s  knowing  “the 
Chinese  estimate  as  to  the  value  and  importance  of  the  study  of 
English.”  This  question  is  one  which  naturally  calE  for  Chi¬ 
nese  rather  than  American  and  British  opinion,  but  in  some 
measure  it  may  be  answered  by  citing  the  reports  from  various 
quarters  to  the  effect  that  the  government  colleges  and  profes¬ 
sional  schools  use  the  English  language  in  imparting  a  knowl¬ 
edge  of  western  science  and  history. 

On  the  other  hand,  perhaps  the  larger  number  of  students, 
in  Christian  secondary  schools  have  acquired  very  little,  if  any, 
use  of  English  and  would  have  to  take  two  years  additional 
preparation  to  enable  them  to  enter  a  Christian  college  where 
the  instruction  is  given  in  English.  Probably  all  of  the  Chris¬ 
tian  colleges  now  teach  English  as  a  subject  whether  they  use 
it  as  the  medium  of  instruction  or  not.  It  is  not  the  purpose  of 
this  report  to  argue  for  or  against  the  use  of  English  in  edu¬ 
cating  Chinese  in  China,  save  as  it  affects  a  still  larger  ques¬ 
tion  of  the  preparation  of  a  few  for  vital  contact  with  Western 
thought  and  peoples. 

English  is  the  language  which  the  Chinese  have  chosen  to  learn,  and 
English  is  the  language  through  which  the  whole  East  is  seeking  to 
gain  a  true  knowledge  of  Western  civilization,  science  and  religion. 
Therefore  to  the  Chinaman  English  literature,  classical  and  current, 
may  be  said  to  contain  nine-tenths  of  all  that  ii  is  important  for  him 
to  know  from  the  West,  including  translations  from  the  Greek,  Latin 
and  modern  European  languages.  It  is  far  more  important  for  him  to 
use  one  language  in  gaining  this  knowledge  than  to  go  on  with  learning 
other  languages.  Of  equal  importance  is  his  knowledge  of  Chinese  in 
its  written  form,  so  that  he  may  translate  his  knowledge  for  his  coun¬ 
trymen  and  be  looked  upon  as  an  educated  man  in  China. 

The  Wen-li,  the  Chinese  written  language,  is  the  sine  qua  non  of  an 
educated  Chinaman.  It  is  not  a  spoken  but  a  written  language,  and  rep¬ 
resents,  in  the  second  respect,  the  Latin  of  the  middle  ages.  It  must  for 
a  long  time  to  come  be  the  foundation  of  all  Chinese  literary  produc¬ 
tions.  The  great  Mandarin  may  be  more  and  more  used  in  writing  as 
in  speaking,  but  the  Wen-li  as  the  language  of  Chinese  literature  and 
polite  form  will  continue  to  be  the  foundation  of  scholarship. 

i8 


As  long  ago  as  the  General  Missionary  Conference  in  Shang¬ 
hai,  1890,'“'  the  leading  educators  took  strong  positions  in  fa¬ 
vor  of  the  use  of  Chinese  as  the  medium  of  instruction,  and 
several  of  the  colleges  which  followed  this  course  are  among 
the  best  established. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  J.  C.  Garrett,  of  Nanking,  makes  the  following 
comments  in  the  Monthly  Bulletin,  September,  1907 : 

“The  long  controversy  as  to  the  teaching  of  English  in  mis¬ 
sion  schools  appears  to  be  drawing  to  a  close.  The  final  argu¬ 
ment  is  that  of  experience ;  and  the  results  achieved  by  those 
who  have  taken  up  heartily  the  method  of  giving  general  and 
thorough  training  in  English  seem  to  be,  on  the  whole,  so  sat¬ 
isfactory  that  schools  everywhere  are  yielding  to  the  inevitable. 
The  recent  Y.  M.  C.  A.  conventions  have  gathered  together 
men  of  evident  ability,  earnest  Christian  character,  and  high 
aims ;  and  these  are  the  men  who  have  English.  While  num  ■ 
bers  of  pupils  have  succumbed  to  the  mercenary  spirit  and 
have  used  their  English  for  other  purposes  than  the  glory  of 
Christ  and  the  good  of  China,  the  strong  and  earnest  men  who 
have  been  evolved  are  worth  all  it  has  cost.  One  begins  to  be 
convinced  that  the  missions  which  are  now  beginning  wider 
teaching  of  English  are  ten  or  fifteen  years  behindhand  in 
such  work.  Without  belittling  at  all  the  young  men  who, 
without  knowledge  of  English,  are  looking  toward  the  ministry, 
or  upholding  the  Christian  name  in  other  callings,  we  may 
look  among  the  ranks  of  those  with  English  for  most  valu¬ 
able  and  most  unselfish  Christian  workers.” 

The  place  of  English  and  the  problem  of  the  Chinese  classics 
has  been  so  adequately  treated  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  D.  L.  Ander¬ 
son,  President  of  the  Soo  Chow  University  .that  for  the  pres¬ 
ent  purposes  we  shall  confine  ourselves  chiefly  to  his  letter  and 
article. 

“In  mission  schools  thought  is  divided.  The  majority  per¬ 
haps  use  the  English  language  as  the  vehicle  of  instruction  in 
all  western  subjects  now  being  introduced,  yet  a  number  of 
very  prominent  schools  use  only  Chinese.  In  Government 
Schools  instruction  in  the  new  learning  is  given  through 
English.  This  has  been  ofiicially  adopted.  To  my  mind  the 
English  is  preferable  to  the  translated  book.  The  Chinese 
language  today  cannot  adequately  express  the  thought  of  the 
new  learning.  It  is  impossible  that  it  should,  and  yet  this  does 
not  indicate  the  inferiority  of  the  Chinese  language,  as  it  is 


*  Kecords  General  Conference  Protestant  Missionaries  of  China,  Shanghai,  1890, 
page  461. 


19 


often  declared.  If  our  twentieth  century  knowledge  had 
knocked  at  England’s  door  in  the  sixteenth  century  and  de¬ 
manded  immediate  expression  in  the  English  language,  the 
English  would  have  been  utterly  unable  to  answer  the  demand, 
even  as  the  Chinese  today.  But  under  the  influence  of  the 
present  day  demand  the  Chinese  language  is  rapidly  changing 
to  express  the  new  thought.  New  words  are  coming  in,  old 
words  are  being  charged  with  new  meaning,  the  general  style 
of  writing  is  changing,  and  nowhere  can  the  influence  of  the 
new  thought  be  so  clearly  seen  as  in  the  new  Chinese  language, 
that  is  now  being  formed.  But  while  this  change  is  going  on, 
until  it  has  been  more  fully  wrought  out,  the  English  language 
is  the  better  for  instruction. 

‘‘The  great  work  of  the  schools  of  today  is  to  make  the 
thought  of  the  West  “at  home”  in  China.  When  a  consider¬ 
able  number  of  Chinese  have  learned  through  the  English  lan¬ 
guage  to  think  the  thought  of  the  West,  then  they  will  be  able 
to  express  that  thougbt  for  their  own  people  in  their  own 
tongue.  Then  the  Chinese  language  will  be  the  vehicle  of  in¬ 
struction  in  all  the  schools  of  the  land,  for  Chinese  scholars 
will  then  make  the  text-books  suitable  to  their  own  schools 
and  people.  So  in  every  case  the  use  of  the  English  language 
^  in  China’s  schools  is  temporary.  It  can  have  no  abiding  place. 
The  Chinese  have  a  wonderful  language,  capable  of  expressing 
clearly  the  most  subtle  thought.  It  only  needs  time  to  adapt 
itself  to  modern  ideas  and  then  will  resume  its  sway  in  the 
schools  of  the  empire. 

“Eor  this  reason  in  every  school  of  higher  learning,  even 
though  instruction  in  Western  education  is  given  through  the 
English  language,  there  must  necessarily  be  a  thorough  course 
in  Chinese  history,  literature,  composition,  etc.  The  Chinese 
student  who  is  ignorant  of  Chinese  can  never  be  of  any  great 
influence  in  his  own  land. 

“The  use  of  the  English  language  in  schools  should  be  con¬ 
fined  to  those  of  high  grade,  where  full  courses  of  study  are 
undertaken  in  the  higher  branches.  In  primary  and  secondary 
schools,  where  there  is  no  purpose  of  higher  training,  Chinese 
only  should  be  the  language  used.  It  is  not  worth  while  to 
take  up  the  pupil’s  time  with  the  study  of  English.  The  Chi¬ 
nese  language  is  sufficient  here.” 

CHINESE  CLASSICS  A  SERIOUS  PROBLEM. 

“In  the  changes  now  going  on  in  the  educational  work  in 
China  one  great  need  is  a  competent  course  in  Chinese  and  a 
competent  system  of  instruction  in  Chinese,  suited  to  the  new 


20 


era.  To  work  this  out  will  of  course  require  time,  and  in  my 
judgment  this  is  a  work  that  can  only  be  done  by  the  Chinese 
themselves,  as  it  is  a  work  that  requires  thorough  knowledge 
of  both  the  new  learning  and  the  old,  of  both  Western  and 
Chinese  thought. 

“In  the  new  educational  system  of  China  the  place  to  be  held 
by  the  Chinese  language  and  literature  that  up  to  this  time  has 
been  the  entire  educational  stock  of  this  people,  presents  a 
serious  problem.  This  is  a  very  different  and  far  more  impor¬ 
tant  question  than  as  to  which  is  the  better  language  to  be  used 
today  as  the  vehicle  of  instruction  in  bringing  in  the  new 
learning,  whether  to  use  the  Chinese  or  the  English.  Which¬ 
ever  may  be  considered  the  better  for  temporary  use,  all  concur 
in  this,  that  in  the  end  the  Chinese  language  must  prevail  in 
China  and  that  Chinese  history  and  literature  cannot  be  ig¬ 
nored.  The  Chinaman  who  is  ignorant  of  his  own  language 
and  of  the  literature  of  his  own  land,  can  scarcely  be  consid¬ 
ered  a  man  of  education  and  influence  in  China,  even  though 
he  has  won  degrees  from  some  foreign  university. 

“The  coming  of  the  new  learning  very  greatly  enlarges  the 
course  of  study  in  a  modern  school.  It  is  simply  impossible 
for  the  student  burdened  with  the  acquisition  of  the  new  to 
devote  the  same  amount  of  time  as  formerly  to  the  old.  Yet 
the  old  cannot  be  neglected.  It  is  China’s  own.  It  represents 
her  development  through  several  thousand  years  and  it  holds 
very  much  that  is  not  only  valuable  to  China  today,  but  much 
that  will  be  valuable  to  the  world.  It  is  one  of  the  most  em¬ 
barrassing  problems  of  the  modern  school  to  so  arrange  its 
course  of  study  that  it  may  include  both  the  old  learning  and 
the  new  and  place  the  proper  emphasis  on  each.  Different 
schools  are  following  different  methods,  but  so  far  as  I  know 
none  are  proving  really  satisfactory,  and  the  problem  remains 
unsolved.  That  in  some  schools  the  new  learning  is  being 
taught  through  the  Chinese  language  only,  rather  than  through 
the  English,  does  not  affect  this  question.  To  gain  a  knowl¬ 
edge  of  the  history  and  science  of  the  West  through  the  Chi¬ 
nese  language  is  a  very  different  thing  from  gaining  a  correct 
or  adequate  knowledge  of  the  Chinese  language,  history^  and 
literature.  Many  students  from  schools  where  the  Chinese 
language  only  is  used,  can  scarcely  be  reckoned  as  educated  in 
those  subjects  that  up  to  the  present  time  have  solely  engaged 
the  attention  of  the  Chinese  scholar.  While  some  of  the 
schools  that  use  the  English  language  as  the  vehicle  for  instruc¬ 
tion  in  all  the  studies  of  the  new  learning,  require  also  very 
full  courses  in  Chinese  composition  and  literature.  Hence 


21 


whatever  methods  are  followed  as  to  instruction  in  the  new 
learning,  the  problem  as  to  the  old  still  remains.” 

If  this  Committee  can  bring  the  colleges  and  universities  in 
America  to  consider  sympathetically  what  their  attitude  should 
be  toward  the  Chinese  student  with  respect  to  entrance  re¬ 
quirements  it  might  greatly  assist  in  working  out  a  general 
educational  scheme  for  China.  Our  American  colleges  and 
universities  in  their  entrance  requirements  could  wisely  take 
into  account  the  educational  needs  of  Chinese  students  in  the 
way  of  language  preparation  of  advantage  in  their  pursuit  of 
their  courses  leading  to  the  bachelor’s  degree,  without  forcing 
upon  them  Latin  and  Greek  or  any  other  modern  language  than 
English.  They  should,  however,  require  satisfactory  evidence 
that  the  Chinese  student,  applying  for  entrance,  has  a  compe¬ 
tent  knowledge  of  Chinese  composition  and  literature,  and 
ability  to  write  in  the  Chinese  character,  and  that  his  knowl¬ 
edge  of  his  own  language  in  this  respect  is  comparable  to  the 
college  requirements  in  English,  especially  in  the  use  of  writ¬ 
ten  and  spoken  English. 

THE  PROBLEM  OF  FINANCE. 

The  financing  of  a  missionary  college  has  its  peculiar  diffi¬ 
culties — whether  it,  the  college,  be  a  so-called  independent  in¬ 
stitution  or  conducted  as  part  of  the  work  of  a  Board  of  Eor- 
eign  Missions.  In  the  case  of  an  independent  college  it  has  to 
seek  the  benevolent  part  of  its  support  entirely  from  individu¬ 
als.  In  the  case  of  a  college  supported  by  a  Board  of  Foreign 
Missions  it  has  to  largely  supplement  the  appropriations  from 
the  supporting  board  by  soliciting  gifts  from  individuals.  This 
arises  from  the  fact  that  the  higher  and  more  thorough  the 
education  given  the  more  out  of  proportion  it  is  to  the  cost 
per  missionary  engaged  in  it  and  apparently  the  less  the  appeal 
to  the  Church  at  large.  The  ideal  set  before  the  young  mis¬ 
sionary  is  that  of  going  out  as  an  evangelistic  preacher,  where 
the  Gospel  has  never  been  heard,  while  much  of  the  real  work 
is  that  of  a  protracted  siege.  Whether,  therefore,  a  foreign 
missionary  college  looks  to  a  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  or  to 
an  independent  Board  of  Trustees,  it  is  far  removed  from  its 
initial  source  of  supply  and  finds  great  difficulty  in  cultivating 
a  sufficient  number  of  regular  givers  to  allow  it  to  advance 
even  at  a  moderate  rate.  When  one  making  a  special  study  of 
this  department  of  mission  work  came  to  investigate  the  sub¬ 
ject  of  financial  support  he  was  puzzled  to  know  how  people 
were  moved  to  give  so  generously,  or  assuming  that  there  were 
thousands  instead  of  hundreds  of  earnest  Christian  men  and 


22 


women  who  could  give  if  they  would,  why  they  did  not  re 
spond  to  an  appeal  for  so  needed  a  work. 

The  legacy  of  Mr.  John  S.  Kennedy  to  Robert  College,  Con¬ 
stantinople,  of  one  and  a  half  millions  is  the  one  clear  example 
of  the  estimate,  by  a  wise  and  successful  business  man,  ot 
the  character  and  scale  upon  which  Christian  colleges  should 
be  endowed,  assuming  that  they  are  properly  located  and  man¬ 
aged.  The  experience  of  those  who  have  been  most  conserva¬ 
tive  in  not  allowing  their  expenditures  to  run  beyond  their  in¬ 
come  agree  in  attributing  the  very  existence  of  their  institu¬ 
tions  to  a  most  remarkable  series  of  providences  moving  a  few 
individuals  to  give.  It  is  a  field  which  often  needs  many  years 
of  cultivation  before  it  comes  to  the  fruit. 

The  inherent  difficulty  in  the  way  of  efficient  cultivation  is 
that  its  most  earnest  and  effective  solicitors  must  needs  spend 
the  greater  part  of  their  time  in  China  and  only  once  in  so  often 
reton  to  America  on  furlough.  Hence  the  necepity  for  an 
organized  method  of  quickening  and  sustaining  interest  and 
keeping  givers  informed  as  to  what  their  money  is  doing  or 
might  be  doing.  This  Commission  by  establishing  a  special 
bureau  might  greatly  aid  in  sustaining  the  interest  of  special 
contributors  to  Christian  education  in  China,  or  by  co-operat¬ 
ing  with  Boards  and  Trustees  and  Missionary  Educators  fol¬ 
low  up  their  efforts  by  systematic  correspondence  and  bulletins. 

It  is  estimated  that  Canada  and  the  United  States^  spend  annu¬ 
ally  two  million  dollars  in  missionary  work  in  China,  and  that 
over  one-half  of  this  amount  is  expended  directly  in  education. 

Without  attempting  a  complete  list  of  the  Chiistian  colleges 
in  China,  we  may  say  that  they  group  themselves  around  seven 

strategic  centers. 

Peking. — Peking  University,  Methodist,  Noith  Cnina,  Union  Colleges, 

Presbyterian,  American  Board  and  London  Mission. 

Shantung. — Shantung  Christian  University,  American  Presbyterian, 

English  Baptists  and  Anglicans. 

Shanghai.— St.  John’s,  Episcopal  (Shanghai),  Methodist  Sou^  (Soo- 

chow),  Presbyterian  (Hangchow),  Nanking  Christian 
University,  Disciples,  Methodists  and  Presbyterians 
(Nanking),  Baptist  College  and  Seminary  (Shanghai). 

Canton. — Canton  Christian  College. 

Eoochow. — American  Board,  American  Methodists  (Eoochow),  Re¬ 
formed,  America,  (Amoy). 

Hankow. — Boone  University,  Episcopal  (Wuchang),  London  Mission 

(Hankow),  Yale  Mission  (Changsha). 

Cheng-tu. — English  Eriends,  American  Baptist,  Methodist  Episcopal, 

Methodist  Canada. 

23 


At  the  present  time  schemes  looking  toward  union  in  higher 
educational  work  are  being  formulated,  or  are  already  in  oper¬ 
ation,  in  Peking,  Shantung,  Nanking,  Wuchang,  Chengtu  and 
Canton. 

A  CHRISTIAN  UNIVERSITY  AND  THE  STRENGTHENING  OF  EXIST¬ 
ING  CONDITIONS. 

At  the  Sixth  Triennial  Meeting  of  the  Educational  Associa¬ 
tion  of  China,  held  at  Shanghai,  May,  1909,  the  following 
special  resolution  was  adopted:  (See  Minutes,  Educational 
Review,  August,  1909,  page  55.) 

“Resolved,  ist.  That  as  Christian  educators  looking  to  the 
highest  interests  of  civilization  in  the  Chinese  empire,  we  ex¬ 
press  the  conviction  that  a  thoroughly  Christian  University, 
with  the  highest  standards  of  scholarship,  the  largest  appli¬ 
ances  for  investigation,  and  the  most  modern  methods  of  in¬ 
struction,  would  prove  an  inestimable  boon  to  China  at  this 
turning  point  in  her  history. 

2d.  That  in  addition  to  such  a  university,  which  might 
serve  as  a  model  for  all  higher  education  in  the  empire,  the 
size,  the  population  of  China,  and  the  eagerness  of  the  Chinese 
for  education  is  so  great  as  to  render  imperative  the  develop¬ 
ment  at  the  earliest  possible  moment  of  many  of  our  existing 
colleges  in  the  breadth  and  height  of  their  scholarship,  in  the 
increase  of  their  faculties,  and  in  the  enlargement  of  their  ap¬ 
pliances  for  true  university  work.” 

Without  commenting  at  length  upon  these  resolutions  it 
might  be  well  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  this  expression 
of  the  missionary  educators  neither  deals  with  the  question  of 
the  combination  of  existing  colleges  into  one  university  at  a 
given  center,  nor  the  question  as  to  whether  it  were  better  to 
have  one  university  or  several,  but  first  that  a  Christian  uni¬ 
versity  would  be  an  inestimable  boon  to  China,  and,  second, 
that  the  existing  colleges  should  be  raised  in  grade  and  their 
faculties  and  equipment  enlarged,  with  a  view  to  some  of  them,l 
if  not  all,  ultimately  becoming  great  Christian  universities. 


A  MACEDONIAN  CALL  FROM  CHINA. 

From  the  point  of  view  of  commerce,  foreign  relations,  world 
economics,  racial  development,  or  that  which  affects  them  all, 
the  Kingdom  of  Christ,  the  Christian  education  of  China  is 

24 


the  most  important  question  confronting  Europe  and  America. 
It  is  immeasurably  more  important  than  the  Cuban  ques¬ 
tion  was  prior  to  1898,  and  yet  the  Western  nations  and 
the  Christian  Church  has  hardly  apprehended,  much  less  com¬ 
prehended,  its  importance  to  the  permanent  well-being  of  the 
State  or  the  Church.  Some  missionaries  and  a  few  travelers 
and  missionary  secretaries  and  statesmen  have  seen  the  vision. 
But  the  time  has  come  for  arousing  a  national  interest  and  di¬ 
recting  our  resources  and  energies  to  the  uplift  of  China. 

W e  may  be  sure  that  the  Chinese  will  respond  to  every  right 
move  when  it  comes  to  them  along  the  line  of  their  felt  need, 
and  that  we  shall  be  vitalized  and  uplifted  ourselves  as  a  nation 
by  every  effort  we  put  forth  in  her  behalf.  Our  interest  in 
China  and  the  Chinese  students  should  be  cordial,  broad,  and 
liberal  and  considerate  off  the  steps  that  must  be  taken  by  her 
students  in  acquiring  the  new  learning. 

In  this  campaign  we  need  the  assistance  of  our  Christian 
ministry,  of  our  statesmen,  our  college  presidents  and  profes¬ 
sors,  and  of  our  intelligent  Christian  laymen  and  women. 

SOME  PROBLEMS  TO  BE  STUDIED  BY  THE  COMMISSION. 

A  Christian  Educational  System  for  China  including  uniform 
grading  and  courses. 

Relation  of  Christian  Schools  to  the  Chinese  Government, 
.and  the  Government  Scheme. 

Important  questions  rising  out  of  difficulties  which  the  Chi¬ 
nese  have  to  face  in  getting  a  thorough  education  in  Chinese 
language  and  literature  combined  with  a  modern  school  and  col¬ 
lege  curriculum,  and  in  meeting  the  requirements  of  examina¬ 
tions  for  courses  in  America  leading  to  the  ‘'B.  A.” 

Relation  of  the  Christian  educational  work  in  China  to  the 
Chinese  students  in  America. 

What  can  further  be  done  to  encourage  students  to  pursue 
their  college  courses  in  America,  and  especially  to  take  their 
professional  and  graduate  work  here? 

The  drift  of  Chinese  students  abroad  toward  all  other  de¬ 
partments  rather  than  the  educational. 

The  Problem  of  Finance. 


EDUCATIONAL  WORK  IN  CHINA. 

Addi’ess  by  Professor  Ernest  D.  Burton,  University  of  Chicago,  at  Conference 

of  Foreign  Missions  Boards,  United  States  and  Canada,  January  12,  1910. 

Addressing  this  audience  it  is  unnecessary  for  me  to  speak 
at  length  of  conditions  in  China,  or  to  defend  the  legitimacy 
of  education  as  a  part  of  missionary  work.  I  may  safely  as¬ 
sume  that  you  are  familiar  with  at  least  the  general  facts,  and 
that  on  the  general  principles  we  are  in  agreement. 

I  shall  therefore  turn  at  once  to  questions  of  policy,  begin 
ning  indeed  with  some  principles  that  pertain  to  missionary 
work  in  general,  but  passing  as  rapidly  as  possible  to  those  that; 
refer  specifically  to  Education  and  to  China. 

I.  The  comprehensive  purpose  of  our  work  as  Christians,, 
in  China  as  elsewhere,  must  be  the  promotion  of  the  well-being 
of  the  people.  Whatever  enters  into  this  as  a  constituent  ele¬ 
ment  is  within  the  scope  of  that  which  we  endeavor  to  achieve. 
Whatever  will  contribute  to  this  is  within  the  scope  of  possible 
agencies,  however  many  of  these  may  be  excluded  for  reasons 
of  expediency. 

The  breadth  of  this  definition  of  our  purpose  is  justified  and 
demanded  by  three  considerations. 

First  it  is  demanded  by  the  complexity  and  unity  of  human 
nature.  Man  is  not  a  body  without  a  soul.  But  neither  is  he 
a  disembodied  spirit;  nor  can  the  needs  of  his  soul  be  dealt  with 
without  reference  to  those  of  his  body.  Human  well-being  is 
not  a  matter  of  physical  comfort  only;  but  neither  can  it  be 
expressed  wholly  in  intellectual  or  distinctly  religious  terms. 

The  breadth  of  our  definition  is  demanded  in  the  second 
place  by  the  social  nature  of  man,  or,  if  you  please,  by  the  na¬ 
ture  of  human  society  and  the  relation  of  the  individual  to 
society.  No  man  is  an  isolated  unit.  He  is  a  member  of 
society  and  his  own  well-being  is  bound  up  with  that  of  the 
social  organism.  He  cannot  reach  his  full  prosperity  in  a  dis¬ 
ordered  or  abnormal  state  of  society.  As  a  consequence  no 
agency  that  seeks  to  make  better  men  can  avoid  taking  account 
of  social  conditions.  But  the  state  of  society  in  turn  involves, 
problems  of  political  science,  economics  and  government,  and 
even  if  we  begin  by  caring  for  the  individual  and  his  spiritual 
well-being  only,  we  shall  soon  find  ourselves  forced  to  deal  with 
the  whole  man  and  with  social  relations. 

The  breadth  of  our  definition  is  demanded  in  the  third  place 
by  the  principles  of  our  religion.  ‘Tf  thine  enemy  hunger,  feed 
him;  if  he  thirst,  give  him  drink.”  ‘Tf  a  brother  or  sister  be 
naked  and  in  lack  of  daily  food,  and  one  of  you  say  unto  them,. 
Go  in  peace,  be  ye  warmed  and  filled,  and  yet  ye  give  them  not 

26 


the  things  needful  to  the  body,  what  doth  it  profit.’*  This  is  a, 
true  expression  of  the  spirit  of  our  religion,  and  in  principle 
must  apply  to  all  whom  we  seek  to  benefit,  to  the  needs  of  the 
mind  as  really  as  to  those  of  the  body,  and  to  men  in  their 
social  and  political  relations  as  to  men  counted  as  human  units. 

2.  But  if  this  is  a  proper  definition  oi  the  scope  of  our 
work,  it  is  also  evident  that  not  every  missionary  agency  can 
everywhere  and  always  include  within  its  actual  operations  all 
that  falls  within  this  definition.  In  other  words  the  breadth  of 
our  work  calls  for  specialization.  But  specialization  is  also  de¬ 
manded  by  the  fact  that  the  needs  of  a  given  country  at  any 
given  period  are  largely  modified  by  the  conditions  prevalent  in 
that  country  at  that  time.  This  variation  in  the  conditions  calls 
for  variant  emphasis  on  one  or  another  phase  and  type  of  ef¬ 
fort.  From  these  two  facts  there  arises  the  necessity  of  for¬ 
mulating  a  specific  policy  for  each  country  and  of  frequently 
reconsidering  that  policy  with  reference  to  its  possible  modi¬ 
fication  in  adjustment  to  changing  conditions.  No  con¬ 
viction  was  more  deeply  impressed  upon  my  mind  by 
my  recent  journey  through  the  East  than  this:  the  necessity  of 
a  definite  missionary  policy  for  each  country  in  which  we  work,, 
and  the  constant  study  of  conditions  with  a  view  to  keeping 
our  policy  adjusted  to  existing  conditions. 

3.  When  then  we  inquire  what  variations  of  policy  are 
possible,  I  am  myself  impressed  with  three  types,  though  I  do 
not  suppose  that  these  three  exhaust  the  possibilities  of  the 
case. 

(a)  It  may  be  expedient  in  a  given  country  to  concentrate 
all  effort  upon  the  development  of  the  Christian  community. 
Whether  one  conceive  that  the  future  of  such  a  community  is 
to  conquer  and  absorb  all  other  elements  of  the  nation  and  be¬ 
come  the  one  community  of  the  nation,  or  that  it  is  to  exist 
within  the  nation,  itself  enjoying  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel  tO‘ 
the  full,  but  also  radiating  light  and  blessing  into  the  surround¬ 
ing  darkness,  we  shall  not  hesitate  to  affirm  that  the  existence 
and  development  of  a  community  genuinely  and  intelligently 
Christian  cannot  be  other  than  a  great  blessing  to  any  nation 
and  that  there  are  times  and  places  in  which  the  greatest  service 
that  can  be  rendered  to  a  non-Christian  nation  by  a  Christian 
people  is  the  development  within  it  of  such  a  strong  Christian 
community. 

(b)  It  is  conceivable  that  in  a  given  country  and  period  the 
most  valuable  service  that  can  be  rendered  to  the  people  is  the 
permeation  of  the  existing  community  or  communities,  whether 

27 


these  be  non-Christian  or  represent  a  low  order  of  Christianity, 
with  the  highest  Christian  ideals.  There  may  be  times  when  the 
winning  of  converts  who  separate  themselves  from  the  com¬ 
munities  to  which  they  have  belonged  to  join  themselves  to  a 
new  Christian  community  may  be  less  conducive  to  the  welfare 
of  the  people  than  that  those  who  become  imbued  with  the 
higher  ideals  of  Christianity  remain  where  they  are,  as  leaven 
in  the  midst  of  the  lump  slowly  transforming  it. 

(c)  But  in  the  third  place  there  may  be  occasions  in  which 
a  Christian  nation  confronting  the  situation  in  another  nation 
shall  be  compelled  to  say,  in  the  spirit  of  Jesus,  The  needs  of 
this  people  are  so  various,  so  serious,  and  so  pressing  that  we 
cannot  limit  our  efforts  either  to  the  building  up  of  a  Chris¬ 
tian  community  or  to  the  permeation  of  the  existing  communi¬ 
ties  with  higher  ideals,  but  must  to  the  measure  of  our  ability 
extend  to  them  the  hand  of  help  in  every  phase  of  their  life. 

It  may  even  be  necessary  for  a  time  to  put  the  stress  of  ef¬ 
fort  upon  things  that  are  not  distinctly  religious,  that  have  to 
do  with  economic  or  educational  conditions  in  the  broader  sense 
of  the  term.  Certainly  such  a  condition,  conceiving  it  to  exist, 
would  not  be  without  analogy  in  the  homeland.  There  are 
times  when  a  church  and  its  pastor  throw  themselves  wholly 
into  the  task  of  winning  converts  and  building  up  the  church ; 
and  this  is  well.  There  are  times  when  the  emphasis  of  effort 
is  in  the  direction  of  raising  the  moral  tone  of  the  community 
and  improving  moral  conditions.  There  are  times,  e.  g.,  after 
a  flood  or  a  fire,  when  the  chief  effort  of  the  Church  is,  or 
ought  to  be,  to  relieve  physical  suffering,  to  feed  the  hungry, 
clothe  the  naked,  and  help  the  homeless  to  re-establish  their 
homes.  So  also  it  is  with  nations.  The  emphasis  of  their  need 
also  shifts.  To  them  also  the  principle  applies :  'Tf  thy  brother 
be  hungry  or  naked  and  one  of  you  say  to  him.  Be  thou  warmed 
and  fed,  and  yet  give  him  not  the  things  needful  for  his  pres¬ 
ent  hour  of  need,  what  doth  it  profit?”  The  expression  of  the 
Gospel  in  deed  is  often  far  more  important  than  the  promul¬ 
gation  of  it  in  word. 

This  is  of  course  no  novel  doctrine.  It  has  long 
been  recognized  in  missionary  work.  Medical  missions, 
asylums  for  the  insane,  schools  for  the  blind  and  the 
deaf  are  as  truly  Christian  and  as  legitimately  missionary  as 
the  street  chapel  or  the  jungle  preaching  tour. 

4.  But  to  come  at  length  to  China.  I  am  persuaded  that  as 
conditions  are  in  that  great  Empire  today,  we  cannot  as  mem¬ 
bers  of  a  Christian  nation  limit  our  efforts  either  to  the  de- 

28 


velopment  of  a  Christian  community  or  to  the  permeation  of 
the  Confncian  community  with  Christian  ideals,  but  must  accept 
the  far  larger  task  of  seeking  to  promote  the  welfare  of  that 
nation  in  practically  every  phase  of  its  life,  moral,  leligious, 
social,  economic,  political. 

That  I  may  not  be  misunderstood  let  me  add  that  I  lecognize 
to  the  full  the  need  both  of  developing  the  Christian  commun¬ 
ity  and  of  permeating  the  non-Christian  community  with 
Christian  ideals.  I  would  not  abandon  or  abate  efforts 
to  win  converts,  to  build  up  churches,  or  to  strengthen^  the 
Christian  communities.  I  would  not  undervalue  any  activity 
the  effect  of  which  is  to  add  to  the  high  moral  ideals  of  Con¬ 
fucianism  the  still  higher  ethical  standards  and  the  lofty  re¬ 
ligious  conceptions  of  Christianity.  I  am  advocating  not  an 
exclusive  but  an  inclusive  policy;  a  policy  not  of  minimums 
but  of  maximums. 

Let  me  add  also  that  I  advocate  this  policy  for  China 
not  because  of  any  a  priori  prejudice  in  favor  of  it 
in  general.  Were  I  speaking  of  India  or  Japan  I  should  say 
very  different  things  from  those  which  I  am  saying  about 
China.  It  is  the  condition  of  China  at  this  great  moment  in 
her  history  that  seems  to  me  to  demand  the  policy  which  I  am 
advocating. 

What  the  elements  of  that  condition  are  you  know  too  well 
to  make  it  necessary  for  me  to  dwell  upon  them  at  length.  Only 
let  me  remind  you  of  a  few  of  them.  Having  determined  that 
she  will  emerge  from  the  isolation  which  she  has  maintained 
for  centuries,  that  she  will  not  simply  yield  as  she  has  for  a  hun¬ 
dred  years  to  such  pressure  as  she  can  not  resist,  but  will  her¬ 
self  actively  enter  into  the  life  of  the  nations  and  become  one 
in  the  family  of  nations,  China  confronts  today  one  of  the 
greatest  tasks  that  any  nation  ever  faced.  This  is  nothing  less 
than  the  creation  of  a  new  civilization.  China  has  reason  to  be 
proud  of  her  old  civilization.  It  has  outlived  all  other  civiliza¬ 
tions  of  the  world.  But  she  has  learned  that  it  is  not  fitted  to 
her  new  era,  and  in  this  has  shown  a  degree  of  insight  and  wis¬ 
dom  that  we  cannot  but  greatly  admire. 

The  task  which  China  thus  confronts  is  one  of  tre¬ 
mendous  difficulty.  Observe  what  is  included*  in  it.  ^  A 
new  constitution,  which  means  in  reality  a  new  politi¬ 
cal  system;  a  new  army,  a  new  navy,  a  new  economic, 
a  new  finance,  a  new  science  pure  and  applied,  a  new  education, 
in  many  respects  a  new  ethics.  Observe  the  conditions  under 
which  these  things  must  be  produced.  Outside,  a  scarcely  dis- 

29 


guised  and  an  imperfectly  restrained  desire  on  the  part  of  for¬ 
eign  nations  to  exploit  China  for  their  own  purposes.  Inside, 
a  very  inadequate  development  of  the  national  resources  of  the 
Empire,  a  financial  and  political  system  that  must  inevitably 
keep  the  Empire  poor  so  long  as  that  system  continues,  and, 
not  least,  a  dearth  of  great  statesmen.  The  empress  dowager 
was  a  great  statesman,  and  she  knew  how  to  get  the  utmost 
service  out  of  the  statesmen  in  her  service.  Within  a  little 
over  a  year,  this  able  woman  has  died.  Of  her  ablest  lieuten¬ 
ants  Yuan  Shih  Kai  has  been  forced  into  retirement,  Chang 

Chih  Tung  has  died.  The  Prince  Regent  from  whom  much  | 
was  expected,  has,  to  say  the  least,  not  yet  demonstrated  his  ^ 
capacity  for  great  statesmanship.  The  situation  is  not  hope¬ 
less,  but  it  is  little  short  of  pathetic. 

Now,  is  not  this  situation  justly  comparable  to  that  of  an 
American  city  whose  school  houses  have  perished  in  a  con¬ 
flagration,  whose  citizens  are  many  of  them  homeless  and  half- 
clothed,  whose  city  government  is  in  disorder  and  in  the  hands  j 
of  the  incompetent  ?  Or  to  seek  a  more  remote  analogy,  to  that 
of  a  youth  who  has  inherited  a  vast  but  impoverished  estate,  | 

who  though  the  heir  of  millions  is  himself  poor,  untrained,  \ 

ill-equipped  for  the  great  task  of  administering  this  estate,  and 
surrounded  by  shrewder  men  ready  to  take  advantage  of  his 
ignorance.  Is  not  the  true  response  of  the  Christian  heart  to 
such  a  situation  the  desire  and  the  effort  in  the  hour  of  China’s 
need  to  assist  her  in  every  possible  way?  i 

In  my  judgment  the  limitation  of  our  efforts  at  this  time  to 
any  traditional  lines  in  missionary  work,  the  exclusion,  except  ^ 
under  the  stern  limitations  of  our  means,  of  any  form  of  work 
which  will  enable  China  to  grapple  with  this  situation,  would 
be  in  reality  a  denial  of  the  spirit  of  Christianity — a  misrepre¬ 
sentation  of  our  religion  which  would  go  far  to  defeat  every 
direct  effort  we  might  make  for  the  Christianization  of  China; 
it  would  portray  an  insensibility  of  heart  which  would  justify 
the  doubt  whether  our  Christianity  is  really  worth  their  taking. 

Is  it  not  true  of  organized  Christianity,  as  of  the  individual, 
that  it  must  be  willing  to  be  cast  as  seed  into  the  ground  to  ' 
die  if  it  would  really  live? 

5.  P>ut  T  now  this  is  really  the  task  that  is  before  us,  there 
are  several  important  facts  respecting  it  to  be  borne  in  mind. 

(a)  This  is  peculiarly  America’s  opportunity.  China  dis-  j 

trusts  all  foreigners,  and  has  reason  to  do  so.  But  China  dis-  | 

trusts  America,  if  I  mistake  not,  a  little  less  than  it  distrusts 
any  other  nation.  The  reasons  for  this,  one  need  not  enter  1 
into.  One  of  the  greatest  of  them  is  John  Hay. 

30 


(b)  The  task  before  us  is  largely  an  educational  one.  For¬ 
eign  scientists,  engineers,  financiers,  and  educators  might  con¬ 
ceivably  assist  China  to  reform  her  economic  and  financial  sys¬ 
tem,  develop  her  material  resources  and  build  up  her  new  edu¬ 
cational  system.  But  there  are  two  insuperable  obstacles  to 
their  actually  doing  so.  China  is  too  proud  to  allow  this  to  be 
done,  and  the  task  would  call  for  more  men  than  are  at  all 
likely  to  be  available.  Foreigners,  ourselves  among  them,  can 
help,  must  help.  But  in  the  end  all  must  pass  into  the 
hands  of  the  Chinese ;  and  the  greatest  service,  the  only  really 
effective  service,  that  we  can  render  is  in  helping  to  educate 
the  Chinese  to  the  point  where  they  can  grapple  with  their 
own  problems  and  solve  them  for  themselves. 

(c)  The  education  that  the  Chinese  need  is  one  that  shall  be 
both  broad  and  serviceable,  broad  in  its  base,  but  adapted  to 
meet  China’s  specific  needs.  It  cannot  be  a  European  or 
American  manufactured  article  imported  into  China,  but  must 
be  made  in  China,  adapted  to  the  Chinese  and  to  the  needs  of 
this  hour.  It  must  not  be  narrowly  technical  or  narrowly  utilita¬ 
rian  ;  it  must  be  real  education,  calculated  to  make  large  men, 
yet  men  also  trained  for  specific  tasks. 

I  appreciate  in  some  measure  the  great  difficulty  of  finding 
place  in  a  curriculum  of  reasonable  length  for  a  due  measure 
of  the  literary  studies  that  constituted  the  sole  instrument  of 
the  old  Chinese  education,  and  also  for  those  elements  of  the 
AVestern  learning  that  will  be  useful  to  China.  Yet  I  am  con¬ 
strained  to  believe  that  in  addition  to  Chinese,  English  and 
Mathematics,  the  new  education  must  provide  opportunity  for 
a  thorough  grounding  in  the  physical  and  biological  sciences, 
for  at  least  an  introduction  into  the  science  of  society,  and  for 
a  course  not  utterly  insignificant  in  the  great  civilizations  of 
the  world.  Not  all  students  even  in  the  highest  schools  can 
pursue  all  these  studies.  But  as  soon  as  practicable  the  oppor¬ 
tunity  ought  to  be  provided. 

(d)  The  education  that  we  offer  to  China  must  be  permeated 
with  the  highest  moral  and  religious  ideas.  It  cannot  be^  a 
mere  adjunct  of  evangelistic  effort.  It  must  be  education  in  its 
own  right.  But  neither  can  it  neglect  the  moral  and  religious 
element.  Giving  the  best  we  have  to  give  in  the  physical,  biologi¬ 
cal,  historical,  and  social  sciences,  we  cannot  withhold  the  best 
we  have  in  ethics  and  religion.  Eor  not  only  is  the  ethical  and  re¬ 
ligious  element  of  education  a  vital  and  essential  element  with¬ 
out  which  as  education  it  would  be  seriously  defective,  but  pre¬ 
cisely  at  this  juncture  of  China’s  history  it  is  imperatively  nec¬ 
essary  to  give  due  emphasis  to  this  element  lest  instead  of 

31 


raising  the 'moral  tone  of  China’s  life  we  lower  it  and,  even 
though  improving  material  conditions,  leave  her  not  more  but 
less  fitted  to  achieve  the  great  tasks  that  confront  her  as  a 
nation.  How  this  important  element  of  education  can  be  made 
most  effective  requires  careful  consideration — perhaps  more 
than  it  has  received.  Personally  I  doubt  the  wisdom  of  mak¬ 
ing  it  compulsory,  at  least  above  the  elementary  school.  But 
this  doubt  springs  from  a  desire  not  to  eliminate  the  moral 
and  religious  or  the  Christian  element  from  education,  but  to 
make  it  as  effective  as  possible. 

(e)  The  education  that  China  needs  is  not  for  men  only,  but 
for  v/omen  as  well ;  not  that  boys  and  girls  should  be  educated 
in  the  same  school  or  follow  the  same  curriculum.  But  in  any 
plans  for  China  it  is  as  necessary  to  remember  the  girls  as  the 
boys.  No  phase  of  China’s  poverty  is  more  impressive  or 
more  pathetic  than  her  poverty  of  homes.  If  I  am  correctly 
informed  China  outside  of  Christian  circles  scarcely  knows 
what  a  home  is  in  our  sense  of  the  word.  But  China  will  never 
have  homes  till  her  women  are  trained  to  make  them. 
There  is  no  phase  of  education  in  China  that  appeals  more 
strongly  for  consideration  and  development  than  the  education 
of  women. 

(f)  But  if  these  things  are  true,  it  is  evident  that  what  the 
situation  really  demands  is  not  isolated  schools,  here  and  there, 
but  an  educational  system  wisely  organized  and  broadly  con¬ 
structed.  The  bulk  of  the  education  in  China  will  of  course 
be  done  by  the  government.  In  one  of  the  provinces  of  China 
there  are  already  one  hundred  times  as  many  pupils  in  the  new 
government  schools  as  in  Christian  mission  schools ;  and  this 
situation  is  t3qDical.  The  Christian  schools  can  never  rival  the 
government  schools  in  number  of  pupils.  Nor  should  any  at¬ 
tempt  be  made  to  rival  them  in  the  sense  of  working  in  oppo¬ 
sition  to  them.  Christian  educators  should  be  friendly  allies 
of  government  education  and  Christian  schools  helpers  to  gov¬ 
ernment  schools.  The  West  China  Educational  Union  has 
shown  the  right  spirit  in  adopting  the  curriculum  laid  down  by 
the  government.  In  all  such  ways  we  should  be  willing  to  meet 
the  government  more  than  half  way.  After  all  it  is  their 
country,  not  ours.  But  while  maintaining  this  attitude 
toward  the  government,  I  am  persuaded  that  the  aim 
of  the  Christian  forces  in  China  should  be  nothing  less 
than  the  creation,  on  a  smaller  scale,  but  in  all  respects 
on  a  higher  plane  of  excellence,  of  a  complete  educa¬ 
tional  system  parallel  to  that  which  the  government 
is  seeking  to  create.  Our  own  situation  in  America  is  in- 

32 


striictive  on  this  point.  One  great  element  of  strength  in  our 
educational  situation  is  the  existence  of  schools  established  by 
individuals  or  by  religious  denominations  side  by  side  with 
the  public  schools  and  state  universities.  The  schools  of  each 
class  are  better  for  the  existence  of  the  other  class.  But 
parallel  systems  are  even  more  necessary  in  China  than  in 
America.  Christian  schools  must  first  be  built  up  with  foreign 
help.  But  they  ought  to  remain  long  after  the  foreigner  has 
done  his  work  and  retired,  as  thoroughly  Chinese  as  those  of 
the  government,  but  representing  private  initiative  and  the 
Christian  ideals. 

(g)  Such  education  must  be  conducted  by  educators.  When 
education  is  carried  on  purely  as  an  adjunct  to  evangelization, 
a  means  to  attract  those  who  can  not  otherwise  be  attracted 
and  brought  under  the  influence  of  the  Gospel,  or  purely  for 
the  purpose  of  educating  Christian  workers,  it  may  perhaps  be 
safely  left  in  the  hands  of  men  and  women  who  have  had  no 
training  or  experience  in  educational  work,  and  whose  ideas  of 
education  are  indistinct  and  faulty.  But  when  we  stand  face 
to  face  with  the  task  of  helping  to  create  for  a  nation  of 
400,000,000  people  a  new  education,  which  shall  enable 
them  to  maintain  their  existence  in  the  face  of  grave  dangers, 
and  to  create  a  new  civilization  that  will  serve  them  in  a  new 
era  of  their  history,  this  situation  clearly  calls  for  the  ablest 
educators  whose  services  we  can  possibly  command.  The 
evangelist  reluctantly  turning  away  from  his  proper  work,  the 
school  master  able  to  follow  a  beaten  path,  but  unable  to  solve 
new  problems — these  are  scarcely  the  persons  for  this  hour  of 
-opportunity.  It  calls  for  men  of  broad  vision,  of  keen  insight 
accjuainted  with  the  history  of  education  and  able  to  make  his¬ 
tory  and  make  it  aright. 

(h)  But  this  situation  calls  also — and  calls  loudly — for  co- 
'Operative  efifort  on  the  part  of  all  who  wish  China  well.  Com¬ 
petition,  duplication  of  efifort,  ill  adjustment  of  different 
schools — all  these  are  evils  that  we  might  overlook  if  the  situ¬ 
ation  were  less  serious,  but  which  as  things  are  we  cannot  look 
upon  with  allowance.  We  need  all  the  wisdom  that  we  can 
possibly  acquire,  and  for  this  reason  need  to  get  together.  We 
need  all  the  men  that  can  possibly  be  found  and  cannot  afford 
to  waste  the  efforts  of  any  in  uncoordinated  and  conse¬ 
quently  uneconomical  work.  WT  need  all  the  money  that  can 
be  got  and  cannot  afford  to  squander  in  ill-adjusted  efforts  any 
fraction  of  the  available  or  obtainable  means.  The  task  as  a 
whole  calls  for  our  utmost  endeavor  to  achieve  it,  and  impera- 


33 


tively  demands  the  active  cooperation  of  all  the  available 
forces. 

In  short,  that  which  confronts  us  in  China  today  is  the  mag¬ 
nificent  task  and  opportunity  of  extending  to  the  greatest  homo¬ 
geneous  nation  in  the  world  a  hand  of  Christian  help,  by  build¬ 
ing  up  an  educational  system  inspired  by  the  Christian  spirit 
and  permeated  with  Christian  ideals,  and  so  helping  that  great 
people  in  this  supreme  hour  of  her  history  to  fix  the  ideals  and 
develop  the  institutions  which  shall  make  her  one  of  the  great 
nations  of  the  future,  let  us  hope  one  of  the  great  Christian 
nations  of  coming  centuries. 

Some  Present  Movements  Indicating  Awakened 

Interest  In  China 

CHINA  EMERGENCY  APPEAL  COMMITTEE. 

(of  Great  Britain.) 

An  Appeal  to  the  Nation  on  Behalf  of  Medical  Train¬ 
ing  AND  Other  Educational  Work  in  China. 

We  venture  to  solicit  the  interest  of  the  British  people  in  an 
enterprise  on  behalf  of  China.  We  make  this  appeal  without 
apology ;  for  the  interests  involved  are  great,  urgent,  and 
worldwide. 

•  ••••••• 

Out  of  the  co-operation  of  some  societies  and  the  earnest 
interest  of  others  has  arisen  a  new  enterprise,  the  scheme  of 
which  we  desire  briefly  to  set  forth.  We  can  commend  it  with 
all  the  more  confidence  because  it  expresses  views  held  in  com¬ 
mon  by  men  who  know  China  well,  and  who  understand  her 
need.  The  sum  required  is  not  less  than  i  100,000. 

The  scheme  is  threefold,  embracing  the  development  of 
medical,  normal  and  theological  education,  and  the  translation 
of  the  best  Western  literature  into  Chiiiese.  A  few  words 
must  be  said  on  each  of  these  heads. 

I.  MEDICAL  COLLEGES. 

In  China  at  the  present  time  trained  medical  men  are  only 
provided  for  the  Navy  and  a  portion  of  the  Army;  none,  save 
recently,  in  a  few  missionary  hospitals,  have  been  trained  for 
the  vast  millions  of  Chinese  people  who  suffer  from  the  most 
barbarous  and  cruel  treatment  of  ignorant  and  superstitious 
practitioners. 

The  first  and  most  urgent  need  of  China,  therefore,  is  for 
Medical  Colleges  where  thorough  and  scientific  training  can 

34 


be  gfiven  to  Chinese  students  who  are  preparing  for  medical 
practice  among  the  people. 

In  connection  with  a  few  mission  hospitals,  Medical. Schools 
have  been  formed,  giving  a  partial  training  to  a  few  Chinese 
students;  but  it  is  now  recognized  that  a  combined  effort 
should  be  made  to  raise  to  a  commanding  position  four  of  these 
Medical  Schools  centrally  situated  in  four  divisions  of  the  great 
Empire,  so  that  they  shall  be  competent  to  give  a  full  and  ade¬ 
quate  medical  training  to  all  Chinese  students.  There  has  been 
founded  recently  at  Peking  a  Medical  College,  which  has  been 
recognized  by  the  Government,  and  whose  students  are  privi 
leged  to  obtain  diplomas  from  the  Imperial  Board  of  Educa¬ 
tion.  It  is  proposed  to  develop  this  Institution  more  fully,  and 
to  bring  up  its  equipment  to  the  highest  modern  standard.  Be¬ 
sides  this  central  Medical  College  there  are  three  other  institu¬ 
tions  in  West,  Central  and  South  China,  respectively,  which 
are  waiting,  and  are  desirous  for  similar  development. 

It  is  impossible  at  this  stage  to  allocate  precisely  the  sum 
required  to  the  different  parts  of  the  scheme.  But  we  propose 
provisionally  to  appeal  for  £405^^0  in  aid  of  Union  Medical 
Training  Colleges  in  connection  with  existing  Hospitals  for 
Chinese  Students  (Christian  and  non-Christian)  in  at  least 

four  centers. 

2.  NORMAL  AND  THEOLOGICAL  COLLEGES. 

The  revolution  in  China  has  been  chiefly  manifest  in  the 
realm  of  Education.  The  most  efficient  help  under  this  head 
will,  we  earnestly  hope,  be  provided  by  the  equipment  of  a 
Central  University.  We  do  not,  however,  include  this  import¬ 
ant  object  in  our  present  appeal,  because  a  special  committee 
consisting  of  leading  members  of  the  universities  of  Oxford 
and  Carhbridge  has  been  formed  to  deal  with  it.  Our  attention 
is  confined  to  a  more  elementary,  but  not  less  vital,  part  of  the 
problem.  Primary  and  Secondary  Schools  are  being  estab¬ 
lished  everywhere  in  the  vast  Empire  for  the  children  of  the 
people.  These  schools  need  Chinese  teachers,  trained  in  the 
new  learning  and  the  new  methods.  It  will  not  be  an  easy 
matter  to  provide  this  training  on  the  spot.  Missionary  work 
always  includes  education.  Many  of  the  missionaries  already 
in  the  field  are  ardent  educationalists.  It  is  therefore  desired 
to  form  at  once  Normal  Training  Colleges  for  Teachers  at 
Mission  Stations  in  different  parts  of  China,  in  which  young 
Christian  men  and  women  can  be  trained  to  teach  in  these 
schools.  Though  they  may  not  directly  teach  the  Christian 


Faith  in  them,  they  can  show,  by  their  consistent  life  and  by 
their  zeal  and  fidelity  as  teachers,  the  influence  of  their  Chris¬ 
tian  Faith,  and  they  can  win  the  regard  of  the  scholars  and  of 
the  neighborhood. 

The  formation  of  these  Central  Training  Institutions  for 
Teachers  provides  an  opening  for  a  further  efifort  urgently 
needed  at  the  present  time.  The  growth  of  congregations  of 
Chinese  Christians  has  far  outstripped  the  capacity  of  Mis¬ 
sionary  Societies  to  teach  and  train  without  abundant  help 
from  Chinese  Catechists  and  Pastors.  No  adequate  provision 
for  the  training  of  these  men  has  yet  been  made. 

A  scheme  has,  however,  been  drafted,  and  has  received  the 
cordial  approval  of  all  English  Societies  represented  at  the 
Shanghai  Conference,  by  which  Missionary  Societies  would  be 
invited  to  establish  Theological  Colleges  for  Pastors  by  the 
side  of  each  Central  Training  Institution  for  Teachers.  Stu¬ 
dents  in  these  Colleges  could  receive  common  training  in  secu¬ 
lar  subjects  at  the  Central  Institution.  There  would  be  no 
common  Theological  teaching,  but  arrangements  would  be 
made  for  a  system  of  Inter-Collegiate  Lectures  by  which  a 
student  at  any  one  College  could  attend  lectures  at  any  other 
with  the  consent  of  the  Principals. 

The  control  and  management  of  the  Central  Institution,  in¬ 
cluding  property,  would  be  vested  in  the  hands  of  a  local  Board 
representing  the  Societies  concerned. 

The  Staff  of  the  Colleges  would  form  the  Tutorial  Staff* 
of  the  Institution. 

The  cost  of  board  and  general  upkeep  would  be  met  by  the 
fees  of  the  students.  The  Missionary  Societies  would  pro¬ 
vide  the  salaries  of  the  Staff.  No  financial  responsibility 
therefore  would  be  incurred  by  any  outside  body  for  the  ex¬ 
penses  of  maintenance  when  once  the  Institutions  were  started. 
The  initial  cost  of  establishing  them  cannot,  however,  be  de¬ 
frayed  out  of  the  General  Funds  of  any  Missionary  Society. 

Me  appeal,  therefore,  provisionally  for  £40,000  to  be  dis¬ 
tributed  at  the  discretion  of  the  Advisory  Committee  in  various 
centres  to  provide : 

(a)  Sites,  buildings,  furniture,  etc.,  for  the  general  pur¬ 
poses  of  Central  Training  Institutions  for  Teachers. 

(b)  Grants  in  aid  of  site  and  plant  for  Theological  Col¬ 
leges — the  grant  being  made  only  when  the  Societies  concern¬ 
ed  are  prepared  to  pay  the  rest  of  the  Capital  Investment,  and 
to  pledge  themselves  to  support  their  College  Staff*. 

36 


* 


3.  LITERATURE. 

The  awakening  of  China  has  been  followed  by  a  growing 
demand  for  Western  literature.  Of  this,  every  thoughtful 
man  will  wish  that  our  best,  and  only  our  best,  shall  be  given. 
We  have  suffered  much  at  home  from  depraving  and  unworthy 
literature.  Our  pride  as  well  as  our  sympathy  should  lead  us 
to  resolve  that  the  literature  of  the  West  shall  only  be  repre¬ 
sented  by  what  is  good,  noble,  and  worthy.  To  a  people  “who 
toil  without  rest  and  live  without  luxury”  let  us  give  those 
works  which  promote  higher  thinking  and  simple  living,  which 
set  before  the  mind  noble  ideals  of  life  and  duty,  and  which 
present  the  principles  of  Christian  faith  in  the  closest  connec¬ 
tion  with  habit  and  conduct.  Ideas  received  tend  to  realize 
themselves  in  action ;  let  the  awakening  China  have  the  oppor¬ 
tunity  of  drinking  in  those  teachings  which  make  for  chivalry, 
love,  and  Christian  self-sacrifice. 

To  secure  this  object  there  are  already  at  work  in  different 
parts  of  the  empire  at  least  ten  Literature  and  Tract  Societies. 
The  present  crisis  provides  an  admirable  opportunity  for  se¬ 
curing  greater  efficiency  and  economy  in  the  attainment  of  the 
ends  they  have  in  common. 

We  appeal,  therefore,  for  £20,000  to  assist  the  Literature 
Societies  already  at  work  in  China,  and  to  further  the  selec¬ 
tion,  translation  and  distribution  of  the  best  Western  literature 
amongst  students  availing  themselves  of  the  Medical,  Normal, 
and  Theological  Colleges,  as  well  as  of  the  proposed  Univer¬ 
sity. 


A  NATIONAL  APPEAL. 

To  sum  Up.  Our  appeal  for  the  £100,000  is- not  only,  or 
chiefly,  to  the  members  of  Missionary  Societies.  They  are  al¬ 
ready  straining  every  nerve  to  cope  with  this  supreme  crisis. 
We  appeal  to  the  nation  at  large  on  behalf  of  the  teeming  mil¬ 
lions  of  this  Empire  of  China.  Britain  has  stood  m  closer 
relations  to  China  than  any  other  Western  Nation;  her  re¬ 
sponsibility,  therefore,  is  greater ;  and  the  beneficent  objects 
for  which  we  plead  must*  appeal  to  every  humane  person.  Ihe 
Chinese  are,  as  we  have  seen,  in  need  of  help  in  body,  mind 
and  spirit.  This  help,  we  British  are,  through  the  devoted 
work  of  our  Missionary  Societies  during  the  past  century,  in 
a  position  to  render  at  once  efficiently  and  acceptably. 

To  avoid  misconception,  even  at  the  cost  of  some  repetition, 
we  wish  to  make  it  clear  that  the  object  of  the  Emergency 

37 


Committee  is  distinct  from  that  of  any  and  every  Missionary 
Society.  We  have  not  come  into  existence  to  establish  de¬ 
nominational  institutions  as  such,  nor  to  multiply  divisions  by 
adding  another  Sectional  Society  or  Institution  to  those  al¬ 
ready  in  the  field.  Where  good  work  is  being  done,  and  where 
institutions  exist  capable  of  wise  extension  by  co-operation 
between  men  of  different  Churches,  we  are  prepared,  so  far  as 
the  funds  placed  at  our  disposal  permit,  to  aid  in  broadening 
the  basis  and  increasing  the  efficiency  of  these  institutions. 
But  our  own  aim  is  not  primarily  Evangelistic  but  Educa¬ 
tional,  and  our  appeal  is  therefore  not  to  the  supporters  of  any 
particular  Missionary  Society,  but  to  the  nation  as  a  whole, 
because  we  believe  that,  especially  in  Educational  work,  we 
have  a  National  responsibility  to  discharge. 

The  time  is  short ;  events  move  quickly ;  a  new  nation  with 
new  ideas  may  be  born  in  a  day.  “The  next  decade  may  do 
more  than  the  century,’’  for  now  is  the  day  of  opportunity. 
Will  the  people  of  this  country  respond  to  this  appeal?  Will 
they  not  realize  that  the  safety  and  happiness  of  the  world  may 
be  determined  by  their  reply?  Will  they  recognize  that  be¬ 
hind  the  need  of  a  nation,  there  is  THE  CALL  OF  GOD? 

It  is  proposed  that  this  National  Fund  shall  be  administered 
in  England  by  a  Board  including  the  Honorary  Treasurers, 
and  an  Advisory  Committee,  one-half  the  members  of  which 
shall  be  representatives  of  the  missionary  societies  and  the  other 
half  representatives  of  the  Emergency  Committee. 

Representative  Boards  will  be  established  in  China  in  each 
locality  where  they  do  not  already  exist  to  secure  the  proper 
administration  of  funds  devoted  to  Union  or  Inter-denomina¬ 
tional  work. 

Contributions,  if  desired,  can  be  specifically  given  for  one  or 
more  of  the  three  objects  included  in  the  Appeal.  Contribu¬ 
tions  may  be  sent  to  the  Treasurers,  the  Right  Hon.  the  Lord 
Mayor,  Mansion  House,  E.  C.,  or  to  Robert  Leatham  Barclay, 
Esq.,  54  Lombard  Street,  E.  C. 

The  Bankers  of  the  China  Emergency  Appeal  Fund,  Messrs. 
Barclay  &  Co.,  54  Lombard  Street,  will  also  be  pleased  to 
acknowledge  subscriptions  to  the  Fund. 


38 


The  Right  Hon.  The 

Mayor  of  Lx)ndon. 

The  Right  Hon.  Lord  Alverstone, 
G.  C.  M.  G. 

The  Right*  Hon.  Lord  Armit- 
stead. 

The  Right  Hon.  Lord  Kinnaird. 

The  Right  Hon.  Lord  Reay, 

G.  C.  S.  1. 

The  Right  Hon.  Lord  Strath- 

cona  G.  C.  M.  G. 

The  Right  Hon.  Sir  John  H. 

Kennaway,  Bart.,  M.  P. 

Sir  Robert  W.  Perks,  Bart.,  M.  P. 

Sir  Albert  Spicer,  Bart.,  M.  P. 

Sir  Thomas  Jackson,  Bart., 

K.  C.  M.  G. 

Robert  Barclay,  Esq. 

.  Alfred  P'owell  Buxton,  Esq., 

I  (L.  C.  C.) 

■  George  Cadbury,  Esq. 

John  Cory,  Esq.,  D.L. 

T.  R.  Fereiis,  Esq.,  M.P. 

Joseph  S.  Fry,  Esq. 

William  Keswick,  Esq.,  M.P., 
D.L. 

G.  W.  Macalpine,  Esq. 

Samuel  Hope  Morley,  Esq.,  D.L. 

R.  A.  Yerburgh,  Esq.,  D.L. 

His  Grace  The  Archbishop  of 
Canterbury. 

The  Right  Hon.  The  Lord  Bishop 
of  London. 

The  Right  Rev.  The  Lord  Bishop 
of  Durham. 

The  Right  Rev.  The  Lord  Bishop 
of  Ripon. 


The  Right  Rev.  The  Bishop  of 
North  China  (Dr.  Scott). 

The  Right  Rev.  The  Bishop  of 
Shanghai  (Dr.  Graves). 

The  Right  Rev.  The  Bishop  of 
Hankow  (Dr.  Roots). 

The  Right  Rev.  The  Bishop  of 
Fukien  (Dr.  Price). 

The  Ven.  Archdeacon  Sinclair. 

T.  H.  Warren,  Esq.,  D.C.L. 
(Vice-Chancellor  of  Oxford 
University). 

The  Rev.  A.  J.  Mason,  D.D. 
(Vice-Chancellor  of  Cambridge 
University) . 

Sit  William  Turner,  K.C.B. 
(Principal  and  Vice-Chancellor 
of  Edinburgh  University). 

Sir  Donald  Macalister,  K.C.B. 
(Principal  and  Vice-Chancellor 
of  Glasgow  University). 

The  Very  Rev.  Donald  Macleod, 
D.D. 

The  Rev.  David  Brook,  D.D. 
(President  of  the  National 
Council  of  Free  Churches). 
The  Rev.  A.  M.  Fairburn,  D.D. 
(Principal  of  Mansfield  Col¬ 
lege,  Oxford). 

The  Rev.  J.  Scott  Lidgett,  M.A. 
(President  of  the  Wesleyan 
Methodist  Conference). 

The  Rev.  Alex.  McLaren,  D.D. 
(Manchester) . 

The  Rev.  Alex.  Whyte,  D.D. 
(Edinburgh) . 


President. 

Sir  Robert  Hart,  Bart.,  G.  C.  M.  G.,  etc. 

Vice-Presidents. 

Lord 


H 0  n.  Treasurers. 

The  Right  Hon.  The  Lord  Mayor  of  London,  Mansion  House,  E.  C. 
Robert  L.  Barclay,  Esq.,  (Messrs.  Barclay  &  Co.)  54  Lombard  street, 

E.  C. 

Hon.  Secretaries. 

Francis  W.  Fox,  Esq.  The  Rev.  J.  B.  Paton  D.D. 

The  Rev.  Canon  J.  O.  F.  Murray,  C.  T.  Studd,  Esq.,  B.A. 

The  Rev.  W.  Gilbert  Walshe,  M.A. 

Offices. 

28  Victoria  street,  Westminster,  S.  W. 

39 


Bankers. 


The  Hongkong  &  Shanghai  Banking  Corporation,  31  Lombard  street, 
E.  C.  Messrs.  Barclay  &  Co.,  54  Lombard  street,  E.  C. 

Advisory  Conunittee. 

(So  far  as  the  Representatives  of  the  Missionary  Societies  are 


concerned.) 

Colonel  Robert  Williams,  M.P. 
Sir  Albert  Spicer,  Bart.,  M.P. 
The  Rev.  J.  Scott  Lidgett,  M.A. 
Professor  Alexander  Macalister, 
LL.D.,  F.R.S.,  etc. 

The  Right  Hon.  The  Lord  Mayor 
of  Bristol  (Edward  Robinson, 
Esq.) 

H.  Wilson  Harris,  Esq.,  M.A. 

R.  W.  Essex,  Esq.,  M.P. 

Robert  Barclay,  Esq. 


Church  Missionary  Society. 

London  IMissionary  Society. 

Wesleyan  Methodist  Missionary 
Society. 

Presbyterian  Church  of  England 
Missionary  Society. 

Baptist  Missionary  Society. 

friends’  Foreign  Missionary  So¬ 
ciety. 

Lnited  Methodist  Missionary  So¬ 
ciety. 

I  he  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society. 


Members  of  ike  Conunittee. 


C.  S.  Addis,  Esq.  (Hongkong  & 
Shanghai  Bank). 

The  Rev.  W.  T.  A.  Barber,  D.D. 
A.  W.  Black,  Esq.,  M.P. 

Byron  Brenan,  Esq.,  C.M.G. 
Marshall  Broomhall,  Esq. 

Sir  Percy  W.  Bunting,  M.A. 

The  Rev.  H.  J.  Chapman. 

The  Rev.  J.  Clifford,  D.D. 

Sir  Robert  K.  Douglas. 

W.  McAdam  Eccles,  Esq.,  M.S., 
F.R.C.S. 

I'.  W.  Fox,  Esq. 

Cecil  Hanbury,  Esq. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Hanson. 

1  he  Rev.  Dr.  Horton. 

George  Jamieson,  Esq.,  C.M.G. 
Robert  Laidlow,  Esq.,  M.P. 

The  Rev.  J.  Scott  Lidgett,  M.A. 
Mrs.  Archibald  Little. 

Prof.  Alex.  Macalister,  M.D., 
F.R.S. 

1  he  Rev.  Canon  Masterman. 
Hugh  M.  Matheson,  Esq. 

J.  L.  Maxwell,  Esq.,  M.D. 

1  he  Rev.  F.  B.  Meyer,  B.A. 


L.  A.  J.  Middleton,  Esq. 

Edward  R.  P.  Moon,  Esq. 

I  he  Rev.  Dr.  Campbell  Morgan. 
The  Rev.  Canon  J.  O.  F.  Murray, 
D.D. 

The  Rev.  George  Owen. 

The  Rev  George  Packer. 

The  Rev.  J  B.  Paton,  D.D. 
Herbert  Pike  Pease,  Esq.,  M.P. 

A.  Rolland  Rainy,  Esq.,  M.P. 
riie  Rev.  J.  H,  Ritson,  M.A. 

The  Rev.  Canon  C.  H.  Robinson, 
-M.A. 

The  Rev.  Canon  J.  Scarth. 

Sir  Alex.  R.  Simpson,  M.D., 
F.R.S. 

The  Rev.  C.  Stedeford. 

Eugene  Stock,  Esq.,  D.C.L. 

The  Rev.  B.  H.  Streeter,  M.xA. 

C.  T.  Studd,  Esq.,  B.A. 

Sir  Charles  J.  Tarring. 

1  he  Rev.  W.  Gilbert  Walshe, 
M.A. 

The  Rev.  F.  S.  Webster,  A-f.A. 
The  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Welldon, 
D.D. 

Sir  W.  Alackworth  Young,  K.C. 
S.T. 


40 


THE  OXFORD  AND  CAMBRIDGE  UNIVERSITY  SCHEME. 

(From  Educational  Review,  April,  1909.) 

A  very  remarkable  missionary  movement  is  reported  among 
the  students  of  Oxford  and  Cambridge,  and  as  one  of  the  results 
of  the  great  interest  which  is  now  being  taken  in  the  work  of 
world-wide  evangelization  among  these  students  comes  the 
proposal  to  undertake  the  establishment  of  a  Christian  Univer¬ 
sity  for  China.  Those  who  are  interested  in  this  movement 
have  no  cut  and  dried  plan.  They  propose  to  form  their  plans 
after  a  careful  investigation  of  the  field,  and  it  is  their  pur¬ 
pose  to  give  the  fullest  consideration  to  all  the  suggestions 
which  may  be  ofbered  by  missionaries  and  others  acquainted 
with  the  field.  There  is  a  tentative  plan  which  the  Rev.  Lord 
William  Cecil  has  been  offering  for  criticism  and  advice,  but 
this  is  not  to  be  considered  as  the  final  plan.  It  may  be  materi¬ 
ally  altered,  or  even  abandoned  entirely. 

At  a  meeting  in  Shanghai,  held  in  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  lecture 
hall,  April  2nd,  Lord  William  Cecil  gave  some  account  of  the 
movement  at  Oxford  and  Cambridge  and  of  the  plans  for  the 
proposed  universit}^  A  representative  audience  of  both  Brit¬ 
ish  and  American  missionaries  were  present,  who  listened  with 
interest  to  a  presentation  of  the  university  scheme.  After  a 
discussion  of  the  plan  proposed,  in  which  a  number  of  both 
nationalities  participated,  a  resolution  of  approval  was  passed, 
and  a  vote  of  thanks  tendered  to  Lord  Cecil  for  his  address. 

We  give  below  a  resume  of  the  plan  proposed.  .  ^  . 

THE  SCHEME,  AND  THE  REASONS  FOR  IT. 

All  who  know  the  Far  East  report  that  China  is  '‘awaken¬ 
ing”  to  Western  ideas  with  a  startling  rapidity  rivalling  Japan. 
In  this  movement  perhaps  the  two  most  important  features  are 
these : 

(1)  There  is  an  immense  and  growing  demand  for  ad¬ 
vanced  University  education  in  Western  knowledge.  In  the 
University  of  Tokio  there  are  7,000  Chinese  students,  large 
numbers  are  studying  in  Europe  and  America,  and  in  China 
itself  all  over  the  country  "Western”  Schools  and  Universities 
are  being  founded,  but  for  want  of  properly  qualified  teachers 
few  if  any  are  as  yet  efficient. 

(2)  Western  education,  as  given  in  Japan  and  in  these  new 
Chinese  Universities,  has  a  strongly  materialistic  bias — a  bias 
to  which  the  national  temperament  is  peculiarly  susceptible. 
Thus  it  tends  to  sweep  away  all  the  old  religious  beliefs  and 
with  them  all  the  old  sanctions  of  moralit}^ 

It  should  be  remembered  that  the  ruling  class  in  China  is  an 

41 


aristocracy  of  education  and  not  of  birth,  to  which  admission 
is  gained  by  competitive  examinations,  in  which  modern  sub¬ 
jects  now  largely  take  the  place  of  the  old  Confucian  Classics^ 
Accordingly  the  destinies  of  China  will  depend  on  the  educa¬ 
tion  given  in  her  Universities  to  an  extent  unknown  elsewhere 
—and  China  means  one-fourth  of  the  entire  human  race. 

A  Joint  Committee  of  Oxford  and  Cambridge  Tutors  and 
Lecturers,  assisted  by  Sir  Ernest  Satow,  late  H.  M.  Minister 
at  Peking,  by  the  Rev.  Lord  William  Cecil,  and  by  the  Rev. 
John  H.  Ritson,  Secretary  of  the  Bible  Society,  has  been  en¬ 
gaged  for  the  last  ten  months  in  making  a  thorough  investi¬ 
gation  of  the  whole  subject.  They  have  consulted  a  number  of 
the  most  influential  and  experienced  Missionary  and  Educa¬ 
tional  leaders  in  China,  including  among  others : 

Bishop  Scott,  of  North  China;  Bishop  Roots,  of  Hankow;: 
Bishop  Cassels,  of  West  China ; ;  Bishop  Graves,  of  Shanghai ; 
Bishop  Price,  of  Eukien;  Bishop  Corfe,  late  of  Korea;  Dr.  J. 
Campbell  Gibson,  the  English  Chairman  of  the  Shanghai  Con¬ 
ference ;  Dr.  Lavington  Hart,  Principal  of  the  Anglo-Chinese 
College  at  Tientsin ;  Dr.  Cochrane,  Head  of  the  Union  Medi¬ 
cal  College  at  Peking;  the  Rev.  Arnold  Poster,  of  Hankow, 
and  Dr.  Henry  Hodgkin,  of  Chengtu. 

They  have  also  had  the  benefit  of  advice  from : 

Sir  Robert  Hart,  Mr.  J.  R.  Mott,  Prof.  Harlan  P.  Beach  and 
other  authorities,  English  and  American. 

As  the  result  of  these  inquiries,  and  as  the  outcome  of  much 
careful  deliberation,  it  has  become  clear  that  the  great  need  of 
China  at  the  present  crisis  is  a  really  efficient  University,  which 
will  set  a  high  standard  alike  of  educational  efficiency  and 
moral  tone.  Such  a  University  would  not  only  itself  train  up 
a  number  pf  the  future  administrators  of  China,  but  would 
become  a  model  which  the  native  universities  would  more  or 
less  consciously  imitate. 

The  University  should  be  something  on  the  lines  of  Oxford 
or  Cambridge,  consisting  of  a  central  body  of  Professors  and 
other  teachers,  and  also  of  Colleges  or  Hostels,  in  which  the 
students  would  reside  under  some  kind  of  moral  discipline  and 
supervision.  In  these  definite  religious  instruction  should  be 
given,  on  lines  approved  of  by  the  particular  society  or  denomi¬ 
nation  supporting  the  College  or  Hostel. 

Important  Christian  Colleges  already  exist  in  some  of  the 
principal  cities.  If  a  federation  of  those  in  the  place  selected 
were  brought  about,  they  would,  with  the  addition  of  the  pro¬ 
posed  central  body  of  Professors,  constitute  a  complete  work- 

42 


ing  University,  to  which  further  Colleges  or  Hostels  would 
doubtless  be  added  hereafter  by  Missionary  Societies  and 
others. 

It  is  thought  that  the  main  points  in  the  constitution  of  the 
University  should  be  as  follows : 

(1)  University  Professors  or  teachers  should  not  be  asked 
to  subscribe  to  any  definite  formulas  of  Christian  belief.  But 
they  must  be  men  of  strong  Christian  principles,  and  with 
keen  sympathy  with  missionary  ideals.  Experience  m  the  East 
has  shown  that  where  this  is  absent  the  instinctive  antipathy  of 
race  makes  it  difficult,  for  all  but  exceptional  men,  to  establish 
and  maintain  that  intimate  personal  contact  of  teacher  and 
taught  outside  the  classroom,  which  is  vital  to  the  success  of 
the  present  undertaking.  Professors  should  therefore  be  ap¬ 
pointed  by  a  specially  constituted  Nominating  Board,  on  which 
the  Colleges  connected  with  the  University  (or  the  Societies 
which  support  them)  and  the  Student  Movement  should  have 
representatives. 

(2)  The  salaries  and  allowance  paid  to  Professors  should 
be  at  the  rate  of  about  four  hundred  pounds  a  year  and  a 
house,  or  two  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  a  year  and  rooms  for 
a  junior  man.  Rents  being  very  high,  but  building  relatively 
cheap,  it  would  pay  to  build  houses  as  soon  as  possible — a 

I  house  suitable  for  a  married  man  would  probably  cost  one 
hundred  pounds  a  year  to  rent,  but  only  twelve  hundred  to  thir- 

I  teen  hundred  pounds,  including  the  site,  to  build ;  even  rooms 
for  a  bachelor  would  average  as  much  as  fifty  pounds  a  year 
to  rent. 

'  (3)  For  the  present  the  staff  would  consist  entirely  of 

I  Europeans  or  Americans,  but  it  is  both  probable  and  desirable 
that  later  on  among  the  Professors  should  be  some  Chinese,, 
being,  of  course,  Christians  and  men  of  known  ability. 

(4)  The  native  demand  at  present  is  chiefly  for  instruction 
in  Natural  Science  and  Engineering,  but  it  is  esseniial  also  to 
stimulate  a  demand  for  departments  of  Western  thought  less 
concerned  with  things  material.  These  must  therefore  be 

!  strongly  represented  from  the  start. 

Political  Philosophy,  Political  Economy,  International  Law^ 
Modern  History  and  Moral  Philosophy — which  last  could  be 
efficiently  taught  only  by  one  having  a  good  knowledge  of  Con- 
fucian  literature — are  all  subjects  which  must  be  from  the  first 
prominently  represented,  in  addition  to  Mathematics  and  Na¬ 
tural  Science. 

(5)  Students  who  are  not  Christians  should  be  equally  ad¬ 
mitted  to  the  University  Lectures. 


Such  a  University  might  be  started  with  great  prospect  of 
success  ill  any  one  of  some  three  or  four  of  the  leading  cities. 
In  each  of  these  considerable  missionary  colleges  already  exist, 
which  might  by  affiliation  or  federation  become  the  nucleus  of 
further  developments.  The  Committee  has  already  gathered 
information  and  formed  definite  judgments  as  to  the  relative 
desirability  of  the  possible  sites.  Since,  however,  the’  adjust¬ 
ment  of  the  exact  relation  of  existing  institutions  to  a  central 
body  yet  to  be  founded  naturally  requires  much  delicate  nego¬ 
tiation,  it  is  felt  that  the  final  choice  of  site  should  be  postpon¬ 
ed  until  after  the  visit  which  Lord  William  Cecil  is  undertak¬ 
ing  to  China  this  February  for  the  purpose  of  making  more 
detailed  investigations  on  the  spot. 

The  first  necessity  of  such  an  institution  is  obviously  an  effi¬ 
cient  and  qualified  staff.  The  first  practical  step  suggested, 
therefore,  is  the  raising  of  a  fund  to  send  out  six  or  eight,  or 
if  possible  ten,  men  of  the  requisite  ability  and  energy,  to  work 
in  connection  with  some  of  the  larger  and  more  efficient  exist¬ 
ing  missionary  colleges  (where  it  has  been  already  ascertained 
that  they  would  be  welcomed)  for  a  period  of  three  years  (the 
first  six  months  on  probation)  in  order  to  gain  some  knowledge 
of  the  language,  of  the  people,  and  of  the  educational  problem 
on  the  spot.  There  is  at  present  a  quite  unprecedented  enthu¬ 
siasm  in  Oxford  and  Cambridge  for  missionary  enterprise, 
which  has  spread  to  circles  previously  unaffected  by  such  in¬ 
terests,  and  no  doubt  is  entertained  that  it  would  be  easy  to  get 
the  required  number  of  men  of  first  rate  ability — and  only 
such  should  be  accepted — especially  since  this  work,  being  pri¬ 
marily  educational,  would  appeal  to  men  who  might  hesitate  to 
give  themselves  to  missionary  work  of  the  ordinary  kind.  The 
cost  per  man  during  their  period  of  training  would  be  about 
three  hundred  pounds  a  year,  with  an  additional  one  hundred 
pounds  at  the  start  for  outfit  and  journey. 

The  work  of  organizing,  and  in  particular  of  raising  money 
for  a  scheme  of  this  magnitude  will  naturally  require  the  full 
time  of  a  Secretary,  and  his  salary  and  expenses  would  be  an 
additional  charge  on  the  funds  raised.  It  is  estimated  that  it 
would  be  possible,  allowing  for  this  and  other  charges  involved 
in  launching  the  scheme,  to  send  out  six  volunteers  at  once,  fol¬ 
lowed  by  two  more  in  a  year’s  time,  and  two  more  in  the  third 
year,  for  a  sum  of  three  thousand  pounds  rising  to  three  thou¬ 
sand  five  hundred  pounds  a  year,  with  an  added  five  hundred 
pounds  if  two  of  the  first  six  should  happen  to  be  senior  men 
already  married. 


44 


At  the  close  of  the  three  years  these  men,  with,  perhaps,  the 
addition  of  one  or  two  more,  under  the  leadership  of  some  sen¬ 
ior  man  of  longer  experience  of  the  country,  would  suffice,  with 
the  co-operation  of  the  staffs  of  the  missionary  colleges  already 
in  situ — to  form  the  teaching  body  of  a  really  efficient  Univer¬ 
sity.  A  number  of  them  would  then  return  to  England  and, 
with  their  first-hand  knowledge  of  the  facts  and  the  opportun¬ 
ities,  would  assist  in  raising  interest  and  enthusiasm  for  the 
scheme.  When  it  is  once  realized  that  an  able,  enthusiastic 
and  especially  qualified  staff  is  ready,  it  seems  reasonable  to 
anticipate  that  the  public  will  not  be  backward  in  supplying  the 
necessary  funds  for  an  Institution  which  should  do  much  to¬ 
wards  promoting  that  sympathy  and  mutual  understanding  be¬ 
tween  China  and  the  West,  the  vital  importance  of  which  is 
now  recognized  by  statesmen  and  philanthropists  alike. 

The  sum  required  is  considerable,  but  not  so  large  as  might 
at  first  sight  be  supposed,  for  the  following  reasons : 

(1)  No  part  of  the  funds  need  at  present  be  spent  on  the 
Residentiary  Colleges  or  Hostels.  These  partly  exist  already, 
and  the  Missionary  Societies  might  be  relied  upon  to  provide 
others,  induced  by  the  importance  and  efficiency  of  the  new 
University. 

(2)  There  is  evidence  that  Chinese  parents  are  prepared 
to  pay  large  fees  for  a  really  efficient  University  education — for 
which  at  present  they  must  send  their  sons  to  Europe,  Amer¬ 
ica,  or  Japan — and  it  is  probable  that  in  ten  years  or  so  the  in¬ 
stitution  would  be  self-supporting,  except  for  the  stipends  of 
the  staff,  as  is  already  the  case  with  some  few  missionary  col¬ 
leges. 

Land  in  the  large  cities  of  China  is  rapidly  rising  in  price. 
The  present  is,  therefore,  a  good  time  to  buy,  and  it  would  be 
wise  to  try  and  secure  an  ample  amount  as  soon  as  possible, 
since,  in  any  case,  it  would  be  a  safe  and  profitable  business  in¬ 
vestment.  But,  of  course,  it  is  impossible  to  give  more  than 
the  roughest  estimate  of  the  cost  till  actual  sites  are  being  con¬ 
sidered,  but  recent  estimates  for  land  near  the  most  suitable 
sites  suggest  the  figures  ten  thousand  pounds  to  twenty  thous¬ 
and  pounds. 

Ten  thousand  pounds  would  give  a  fair  start  to  tl:e  Univer¬ 
sity  in  the  way  of  Buildings  and  Plant.  Houses  for  eight  Pro¬ 
fessors  would  cost  another  ten  thousand  pounds.  A  residence 
for  bachelors,  fifteen  hundred  pounds. 

Salaries  for  eight  Professors  and  four  Assistants  would 
come  to  forty-two  hundred  pounds  per  annum.  General  an¬ 
nual  expenses  should  be  covered  by  students  fees. 

45 


Allowing,  therefore,  a  necessary  margin  for  unforeseen  and 
unforeseeable  expenses,  it  would  appear  thai  a  capital  sum 
of  fifty  thousand  pounds  for  initial  expenditures,  and  an  an¬ 
nual  income  of  five  thousand  pounds  derived  either  from  fur¬ 
ther  capital  endowment,  or  raised  by  annual  subscriptions, 
would  suffice. 

When  once  founded  and  well  started,  the  new  University 
would  have  to  be  largely  self-governing,  within  the  lines  of  a 
carefully  drawn  constitution  and  Trust  Deeds,  but  the  exact 
relation  of  the  Home  Council  to  the  University  Senate  on  the 
spot  must  be  a  matter  for  future  adjustment. 

For  the  present  the  general  management  of  the  Scheme  is 
in  the  hands  of  the  following  Committee,  the  first  two  of 
whom  have  consented  to  act  as  trustees: 


The  Marquess  of  Salisbury. 

Ihe  Right  Hon.  Ernest  M.  Satow,  late  H.  M.  Minister  at  Peking. 


Oxford. 

T.  II.  Warren,  Esq.,  D.C.L.,  President  of  Magdalen  College,  Vice- 
Chancellor. 

The  Rev.  Walter  Lock,  D.D.,  Warden  of  Keble  College. 

A  Lionel  Smith,  Esq.,  Fellow  of  Balliol  College. 

The  Rev.  John  Carter,  Pnsey  House. 

The  Rev.  B.  H.  Streeter,  Fellow  of  Queen’s  College. 

R.  H.  Hodgkin,  Esq.,  Fellow  of  Queen’s  College. 

W.  D.  Ross,  Esq.,.  Fellow  of  Oriel  College. 

R.  K.  Evans,  Esq.,  Mansfield  College. 

The  Rev.  E.  A.  Burrouglns,  Fellow  of  Hertford  College. 


Cambridge. 

Ihe  Rev.  A.  J.  Mason,  D.D.,  Master  of  Pembroke  College  Vice- 
Chancellor. 

M.  R.  James  Esq.,  Litt.  D.,  F.B.A.,  Provost  of  King’s  College. 

The  Rev.  Canon  F.  J.  Foakes-Jackson,  Fellow  of  Jesus  College. 

A  Macalister,  Esq.,  M.D.,  F.R.S.,  P'ellow  of  St.  John’s  College, 
Professor  of  Anatomy. 

The  Rev.  W.  T.  A.  Barber,  Headmaster  of  the  Leys  School. 

C.  F.  Angus,  Esq.,  Fellow  of  Trinity  Hall. 

Hie  Rev.  C.  F.  Russell,  Fellow  of  Pembroke  College. 

E.  G.  Selwyn,  Esq.,  Fellow  of  Corpus  Christ!  College. 

R,  L.  Pelly,  Esq.,  Clare  and  Ridley  Hall. 


The  Rev.  Lord  William  Gascoyne-Cecil,  Rector  of  Hatfield. 

The  Rev.  J.  O.  F.  Murray,  D.D.,  Warden  of  St.  Augustine’s  College, 
Canterbury. 

The  Rev.  John  H.  Ritson,  Secretary  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society. 

46 


T  reasurers. 

Edward  Somers  Cocks,  Esq.,  (Messrs.  Cocks,  Biddulph  &  Co.) 
43  Charing  Cross,  S.  \V. 


Bankers. 

The  Hongkong  &  Shanghai  Bank,  31  Lombard  street,  E.  C. 

THE  ORIENTAL  EDUCATIONAL  INVESTIGATION  COMMISSION  OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CHICAGO. 

“The  Directors  of  the  University  of  Chicago,  realizing  the 
important  position  which  China  occupies  in  the  family^  of  na¬ 
tions,  and  believing  that  a  closer  acquaintance  with  China  and 
other  Kastern  countries  would  be  productive  of  much  good, 
has  commissioned  two  of  the  best  known  and  most  eminentl)^ 
qualified  members  of  the  University’s  faculty.  Prof.  Ernest 
DeWitt  Burton  and  Prof.  Thomas  C.  Chamberlin*  to  under¬ 
take  a  tour  of  investigation  of  the  educational  status. 
The  general  scope  and  purpose  of  the  expedition  appears 
in  the  following  portion  of  the  commission  issued  by  Harry 
Pratt  Judson,  President  of  the  University: 

Tn  the  study  of  educational  conditions  and  needs  in  China 
it  is  important  that  information  be  obtained  from  every  souice 
accessible.  Your  report  should  indicate  what  seem  to  be  the 
most  important  educational  needs  in  that  country,  what  work 
is  actually  under  way,  whether  from  private  or  public  sources, 
how  far  that  work  is  well  directed  toward  the  main  purposes 
which  ought  to  be  in  view,  and  whether  additional  educational 
agencies  and  activities  would  contribute  to  the  best  interests 
of  China  in  accordance  with  the  highest  ideals  of  modern 

civilization.  ^  ^  .  . 

^The  general  purpose  of  your  work  in  Oriental  countries  is 

to  inquire  into  the  possibilities  of  bringing  about  closer  rela¬ 
tions  in  educational  matters  between  the  East  and  the  West, 
with  mutual  advantage;  in  particular,  to  determine  whether 
educated  men  and  those  interested  in  education  in  China  and 
in  America  can  become  of  service  to  one  another  in  the  pro¬ 
motion  of  education  in  the  world  at  large.’  ’’ 

In  order  to  secure  information  respecting  the  Christian 
schools  in  China  a  special  questionaire  was  issued  and  also 
published  in  the  Educational  Review  of  May,  1909* 

The  blanks  sent  out  called  for  the  following  items:  Name 
of  school,  location,  date,  method  of  control,  calendar,  cuiiicu- 


*  Educational  Review,  February,  1909. 

47 


him,  and  language  of  instruction ;  also  statistics  as  to  enroll¬ 
ment,  value  of  property  and  of  buildings,  income  with  enumer-  j 
ation  of  sources  and  itemized  expenditures ;  also  the  efforts  i 
made  to  instruct  the  students  religiously. 

» 

CONSTITUTION  OF  THE  EDUCATIONAL  ASSOCIATION  OF  CHINA. 

Art.  I.  This  organization  shall  be  called  the  Educational 
Association  of  China. 

Art.  II.  The  object  of  this  Association  shall  be  the  promo¬ 
tion  of  educational  interests  in  China  and  the  fraternal  co¬ 
operation  of  all  those  engaged  in  teaching. 

Art.  III.  The  officers  of  the  Association  shall  be  a  Presi¬ 
dent,  two  Vice-Presidents,  a  General  Editor,  two  General  Sec¬ 
retaries,  one  of  whom  shall  be  Chinese,  a  Treasurer,  an  Execu¬ 
tive  Committee  of  six,  of  whom  two  at  least  shall  be  Chinese, 
and  a  Publication  Committee  of  three,  all  of  whom  shall  be 
elected  at  the  Triennial  Meeting. 

Art.  IV.  In  addition  to  the  elected  members,  the  President, 
General  Editor,  General  Secretaries,  Treasurer,  and  the  Chair¬ 
man  of  the  Publication  Committee  shall  be  ex-officio  members 
of  the  Executive  Committee.  . 

Art.  V.  All  members  of  Protestant  Christian  churches  who 
are  or  have  been  engaged  in  educational  work,  or  in  making 
and  editing  school  and  text-books,  shall  be  eligible  to  member¬ 
ship  in  this  Association  as  active  members ;  other  persons  en¬ 
gaged  in  such  work  shall  be  eligible  as  Associate  Members. 
Active  members  alone  shall  have  the  right  to  vote  and  to  hold 
office.  Election  to  membership  ad  interim  rests  with  the  Execu¬ 
tive  Committee. 

Art.  VI.  The  Association  will  gladly  receive  as  a  Branch 
Association  any  local  association  whose  constitution  is  approv¬ 
ed  by  the  Executive  Committee;  the  details  of  co-operation  to 
be  worked  out  by  the  Executive  Committee. 

Art.  VII.  The  Constitution  and  (or)  By-Laws  may  be 
amended  at  any  time  by  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  entire  mem¬ 
bership. 


Commission  on  Christian  Education  in  China 
156  Fifth  Avenue,  ‘New  York 


48 


PAMPHIET  BINDER 

!IZ!Z  Syracuse,  N.  Y.  T 
— ^  Stockton,  Calif. 


